What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated that the flight was climbing through 3,000 feet mean sea level to the assigned cruise altitude. He reported that a bird appeared from below the airplane's nose. He reportedly "banked right to try and avoid contact." Unfortunately he was not successful and the bird struck the left wing. The pilot stated: "the damage caused the airplane to be difficult to control, so I declared an emergency and returned to the departure airport." He subsequently landed without further incident. The post accident inspection revealed leading edge crushing of the left wing, aft to the forward spar, between the wing strut and the landing light assembly.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 3,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL TO THE ASSIGNED CRUISE ALTITUDE. HE REPORTED THAT A BIRD APPEARED FROM BELOW THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE. HE REPORTEDLY "BANKED RIGHT TO TRY AND AVOID CONTACT." UNFORTUNATELY HE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL AND THE BIRD STRUCK THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT STATED: "THE DAMAGE CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, SO I DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT." HE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED LEADING EDGE CRUSHING OF THE LEFT WING, AFT TO THE FORWARD SPAR, BETWEEN THE WING STRUT AND THE LANDING LIGHT ASSEMBLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.