# Incident 20181007019589I: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4, Fort Pierce, FL, October 7, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2018, 14:56 local time
- Place: Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport: St Lucie County International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Location: 27.4256° N, 80.3404° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Fort Pierce, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4256&lon=-80.3404&mi=10
- Aircraft: N544ML (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 206L-4
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C30P
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,145 total, 203 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181007019589I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT DEPARTED KSGJ WITH PASSENGERS AND WAS EN-ROUTE TO F45. AT 1456 LOCAL TIME HE WAS AT 2000' SOUTHBOUND WHEN HE SAW A FLOCK OF BLACK VULTURES IN THE DISTANCE. HE DIVERTED TO THE WEST AS THEY WERE FLYING ON A MORE EASTERLY HEADING. ONE OF THE VULTURES CHANGED DIRECTIONS AND HEADED WEST INTO HIS PATH. THE BIRD STRUCK HIS WINDSHIELD AND PROCEEDED THROUGH AND STRUCK THE PILOT. HE WAS ABLE TO DUCK HIS HEAD BUT INCURRED FACIAL LACERATIONS. HE STABILIZED THE HELICOPTER AND MADE A RADIO CALL. PALM BEACH ATCT INFORMED HIM HE WAS 5 MILES NW OF FPR. HE DIVERTED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND ALL PASSENGERS WERE SAFE, NO INJURIES INCURRED.

THE PILOT REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO HIS COMPANY AND MADE THE APPROPRIATE MTX WRITE UP. MTX. IN TURN REPLACED WINDSHIELD AND COMPLETED INSPECTIONS. HELICOPTER HAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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