What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
11/6/15: Scheduled kmvc to kalx. Weather : VFR, lightly scattered cloud layer.
IFR flight plan was activated on the ground at kmvc with atlanta center. Standard VFR flight briefing, appropriate radio calls made on UNICOM 123.0. A left downwind departure from 21. Atlanta center contacted passing 1500'. Radar contact was confirmed, IFR climb was issued w/ direct destination. At @ 1545 local, climbing through 3000', a flock of birds was seen immediately in front of us at the 1230-1'O clock position. In less than a second a single bird was struck, right wing leading edge.
Immediately after impact PIC retarded the power, leveled wings (had initiated avoidance turn at spotting, @3 degrees left bank at impact), arrested climb, and contacted ATC of bird strike and return to airport. Position best described as an extended left downwind to 21 and thus PIC entered a left base. Damage observed by SIC, appropriate speeds maintained, landing uneventful, no adverse flight control detected. Negative emergency, no personnel required.
As the FAA filed it
11/6/15: SCHEDULED KMVC TO KALX. WEATHER : VFR, LIGHTLY SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER.
IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS ACTIVATED ON THE GROUND AT KMVC WITH ATLANTA CENTER. STANDARD VFR FLIGHT BRIEFING, APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS MADE ON UNICOM 123.0. A LEFT DOWNWIND DEPARTURE FROM 21. ATLANTA CENTER CONTACTED PASSING 1500'. RADAR CONTACT WAS CONFIRMED, IFR CLIMB WAS ISSUED W/ DIRECT DESTINATION. AT @ 1545 LOCAL, CLIMBING THROUGH 3000', A FLOCK OF BIRDS WAS SEEN IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF US AT THE 1230-1'O CLOCK POSITION. IN LESS THAN A SECOND A SINGLE BIRD WAS STRUCK, RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER IMPACT PIC RETARDED THE POWER, LEVELED WINGS (HAD INITIATED AVOIDANCE TURN AT SPOTTING, @3 DEGREES LEFT BANK AT IMPACT), ARRESTED CLIMB, AND CONTACTED ATC OF BIRD STRIKE AND RETURN TO AIRPORT. POSITION BEST DESCRIBED AS AN EXTENDED LEFT DOWNWIND TO 21 AND THUS PIC ENTERED A LEFT BASE. DAMAGE OBSERVED BY SIC, APPROPRIATE SPEEDS MAINTAINED, LANDING UNEVENTFUL, NO ADVERSE FLIGHT CONTROL DETECTED. NEGATIVE EMERGENCY, NO PERSONNEL REQUIRED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.