20031022032449A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Pierson, FL · October 22, 2003

Date: October 22, 2003 · 11:25 local
Place: Pierson, FL
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N94445
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA04CA010
Reported as: Cessna 152
Reported engine: Lycoming O235*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 571 total183 in this make and model127 in the last 90 days

N94445Registration cancelled Feb 13, 2012 · Cessna 152S/N 15285671 · Built 1982 Airframe modelCessna 152 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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) The flight instructor and his student were practicing ground reference maneuvers at approximately 1000' AGL, 3 miles northeast of lake diston, near Pierson, FL. As the student rolled out of a left bank upon completing "turns around a point", a bird, subsequently identified as a black vulture, struck the windshield of the aircraft, causing most of the windshield to be broken out of the aircraft. The bird, along with debris from the windshield, entered the cockpit. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft, but found that the aircraft would not maintain altitude, even with full power applied. The instructor declared an emergency and maintained control of the aircraft as it descended to the ground. The aircraft impacted the ground nose first and came to rest inverted. The instructor and student sustained minor injuries, and the aircraft was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND HIS STUDENT WERE PRACTICING GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS AT APPROXIMATELY 1000' AGL, 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF LAKE DISTON, NEAR PIERSON, FL. AS THE STUDENT ROLLED OUT OF A LEFT BANK UPON COMPLETING "TURNS AROUND A POINT", A BIRD, SUBSEQUENTLY IDENTIFIED AS A BLACK VULTURE, STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD OF THE AIRCRAFT, CAUSING MOST OF THE WINDSHIELD TO BE BROKEN OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE BIRD, ALONG WITH DEBRIS FROM THE WINDSHIELD, ENTERED THE COCKPIT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, BUT FOUND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, EVEN WITH FULL POWER APPLIED. THE INSTRUCTOR DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE FIRST AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA04CA010Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportPierson, FLIn flight collision with a bird, resulting in airplane not being able to maintain altitude and nosing over during a forced landing on unsuitable terrain.Oct 22, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N94445 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19880921071249IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Silver City, NMEncountered unforecast weather on a cross country flight. Unable to maintain VFR. Precautionary landing on highway.Sep 21, 1988