19981019036509I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-28R-200 · Big Bear, CA · October 19, 1998

Date: October 19, 1998 · 19:30 local
Place: Big Bear, CA
Airport: Big Bear City Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: EELA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N3067R
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total300 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N3067RRegistered now · Piper PA-28R-200S/N 28R-35627 · Built 1969 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-200 Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-5)While on a final approach to runway 8 at Big Bear city, CA. A large bird came through the pilot side windshield. It was nightime and the weather was clear, night conditions. The aircraft was about 1200 feet AGL on a stablized approach in the recommended traffic pattern. The bird came from above the aircraft and through the left windshield. It did not cause apparent damage to any other external aircraft component, such as cowls or props. The left windshield was shattered and the pilot received facial cuts requiring 11 stitches. The airport is located near a bird sancuary and local pilots are aware of bird activity, however nightime bird activity is rare. There were no violation of the far's, no pilot deviation was filed.

As the FAA filed it

(-5)WHILE ON A FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 8 AT BIG BEAR CITY, CA. A LARGE BIRD CAME THROUGH THE PILOT SIDE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS NIGHTIME AND THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, NIGHT CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 1200 FEET AGL ON A STABLIZED APPROACH IN THE RECOMMENDED TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE BIRD CAME FROM ABOVE THE AIRCRAFT AND THROUGH THE LEFT WINDSHIELD. IT DID NOT CAUSE APPARENT DAMAGE TO ANY OTHER EXTERNAL AIRCRAFT COMPONENT, SUCH AS COWLS OR PROPS. THE LEFT WINDSHIELD WAS SHATTERED AND THE PILOT RECEIVED FACIAL CUTS REQUIRING 11 STITCHES. THE AIRPORT IS LOCATED NEAR A BIRD SANCUARY AND LOCAL PILOTS ARE AWARE OF BIRD ACTIVITY, HOWEVER NIGHTIME BIRD ACTIVITY IS RARE. THERE WERE NO VIOLATION OF THE FAR'S, NO PILOT DEVIATION WAS FILED.