What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During an instructional flight on 10/14/2013, the crew of two departed merritt island airport heading back to sanford at approximately 2500 feet MSL, with an intended route from kcoi to ksfb via lake poinsett, northwest to Christmas and into sanford. The pilot stated that while momentarily observing other traffic in the area, with the student at the controls looked forward and saw two large birds directly ahead, one slightly above and the other below with little or no time to react, the instructor taking control of the aircraft, attempted to avoid the birds however, one struck the left wing on the leading edge inboard of the tip. He also stated after impact performed a series of normal flight maneuvers in order to identify whether the flight controls were compromised that would require an emergency landing. With this determined the controls were unaffected with no deterioration of flight characteristics and proceeded with the intended flight to sanford, FL where they landed without further incident. On 10/25/2013 the aircraft was inspected with these findings. Earlier reports indicated it being an accident. During the inspection found no main spar damage and this, contrary to the pictures and initial evaluation. On inspection found a small deformation on the end of the spar cap, a crease was identified but, not considered structural. The maintenance department stated although the maintenance manual details it, as part of the spar is not considered an integral part. Therefore it is this inspector?s opinion; the visible damage identifies this as an incident and not an accident.
As the FAA filed it
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT ON 10/14/2013, THE CREW OF TWO DEPARTED MERRITT ISLAND AIRPORT HEADING BACK TO SANFORD AT APPROXIMATELY 2500 FEET MSL, WITH AN INTENDED ROUTE FROM KCOI TO KSFB VIA LAKE POINSETT, NORTHWEST TO CHRISTMAS AND INTO SANFORD. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE MOMENTARILY OBSERVING OTHER TRAFFIC IN THE AREA, WITH THE STUDENT AT THE CONTROLS LOOKED FORWARD AND SAW TWO LARGE BIRDS DIRECTLY AHEAD, ONE SLIGHTLY ABOVE AND THE OTHER BELOW WITH LITTLE OR NO TIME TO REACT, THE INSTRUCTOR TAKING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, ATTEMPTED TO AVOID THE BIRDS HOWEVER, ONE STRUCK THE LEFT WING ON THE LEADING EDGE INBOARD OF THE TIP. HE ALSO STATED AFTER IMPACT PERFORMED A SERIES OF NORMAL FLIGHT MANEUVERS IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY WHETHER THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE COMPROMISED THAT WOULD REQUIRE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. WITH THIS DETERMINED THE CONTROLS WERE UNAFFECTED WITH NO DETERIORATION OF FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS AND PROCEEDED WITH THE INTENDED FLIGHT TO SANFORD, FL WHERE THEY LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ON 10/25/2013 THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED WITH THESE FINDINGS. EARLIER REPORTS INDICATED IT BEING AN ACCIDENT. DURING THE INSPECTION FOUND NO MAIN SPAR DAMAGE AND THIS, CONTRARY TO THE PICTURES AND INITIAL EVALUATION. ON INSPECTION FOUND A SMALL DEFORMATION ON THE END OF THE SPAR CAP, A CREASE WAS IDENTIFIED BUT, NOT CONSIDERED STRUCTURAL. THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT STATED ALTHOUGH THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL DETAILS IT, AS PART OF THE SPAR IS NOT CONSIDERED AN INTEGRAL PART. THEREFORE IT IS THIS INSPECTOR?S OPINION; THE VISIBLE DAMAGE IDENTIFIES THIS AS AN INCIDENT AND NOT AN ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N65704 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.