What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
An aircraft assigned to aerosim flight academy in Sanford on an instructional flight with one student on board was on downwind to ksfb runway 9L was tower directed to complete a 360 degree right turn to give way for spacing due to an inbound aircraft. At approximately 90 degrees into the turn, facing north a bird came from the left and struck the right wing, midway on the leading edge. Because of the flight parameters in place, it was stated that the bird was not visible until it had crossed in front of the engine and was unavoidable. They did not declare an emergency landing but, a precautionary landing was requested. The PIC took control and landed without incident.
Preliminary inspection shows the right wing took a substantial impact midway cord on the leading edge. The angle was of a downward impact causing the skin to separate but did not incur any spar damage however rib damage outboard side at the point of impact was evident on a visual inspection performed. The maintenance department pulled the l/e skin back and applied a temporary patch in order to ferry the aircraft for permanent repairs and are seeking a ferry permit.
As the FAA filed it
AN AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO AEROSIM FLIGHT ACADEMY IN SANFORD ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH ONE STUDENT ON BOARD WAS ON DOWNWIND TO KSFB RUNWAY 9L WAS TOWER DIRECTED TO COMPLETE A 360 DEGREE RIGHT TURN TO GIVE WAY FOR SPACING DUE TO AN INBOUND AIRCRAFT. AT APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES INTO THE TURN, FACING NORTH A BIRD CAME FROM THE LEFT AND STRUCK THE RIGHT WING, MIDWAY ON THE LEADING EDGE. BECAUSE OF THE FLIGHT PARAMETERS IN PLACE, IT WAS STATED THAT THE BIRD WAS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL IT HAD CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE ENGINE AND WAS UNAVOIDABLE. THEY DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY LANDING BUT, A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS REQUESTED. THE PIC TOOK CONTROL AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.
PRELIMINARY INSPECTION SHOWS THE RIGHT WING TOOK A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT MIDWAY CORD ON THE LEADING EDGE. THE ANGLE WAS OF A DOWNWARD IMPACT CAUSING THE SKIN TO SEPARATE BUT DID NOT INCUR ANY SPAR DAMAGE HOWEVER RIB DAMAGE OUTBOARD SIDE AT THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS EVIDENT ON A VISUAL INSPECTION PERFORMED. THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT PULLED THE L/E SKIN BACK AND APPLIED A TEMPORARY PATCH IN ORDER TO FERRY THE AIRCRAFT FOR PERMANENT REPAIRS AND ARE SEEKING A FERRY PERMIT.
Other reports on N177CA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.