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.
(-23) Following reported by operator: wed., July 25 2001, aircraft N9973M departed Kalskag, Alaska at 13:10 enroute emmonak, Alaska. The aircraft had no passengers or cargo aboard. While in a left turn after departure, the aircraft's left wingtip contacted a tree. The pilot thought it was a bird strike. The pilot conducted an inflight inspection of the controls and noted no adverse or unsafe condition. He opted to continue the flight to emmonak, Alaska. The flight continued without any further events being noted. Weather was noted as being 4,500 scattered, vis in excess of 10 miles. Wx was not a factor. Subsequent communications with the PIC indicate that he was maneuvering to avoid birds on the departure end of the runway and that was the reason for his abrupt low level turn.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FOLLOWING REPORTED BY OPERATOR: WED., JULY 25 2001, AIRCRAFT N9973M DEPARTED KALSKAG, ALASKA AT 13:10 ENROUTE EMMONAK, ALASKA. THE AIRCRAFT HAD NO PASSENGERS OR CARGO ABOARD. WHILE IN A LEFT TURN AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WINGTIP CONTACTED A TREE. THE PILOT THOUGHT IT WAS A BIRD STRIKE. THE PILOT CONDUCTED AN INFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE CONTROLS AND NOTED NO ADVERSE OR UNSAFE CONDITION. HE OPTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT TO EMMONAK, ALASKA. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER EVENTS BEING NOTED. WEATHER WAS NOTED AS BEING 4,500 SCATTERED, VIS IN EXCESS OF 10 MILES. WX WAS NOT A FACTOR. SUBSEQUENT COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PIC INDICATE THAT HE WAS MANEUVERING TO AVOID BIRDS ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THAT WAS THE REASON FOR HIS ABRUPT LOW LEVEL TURN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.