What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A commercial helicopter rated pilot transitioning to fixed wing was on a solo cross country flight. The pilot was on approach to koxb (Ocean city airport). While on an extended left base approach to runway 14, the pilot stated that he saw a large flock of birds congregating to the left of the runway. Once the pilot began his final approach, the birds began to move in to a position above his approach path. The pilot stated that the aircraft was at an approach at 70 knots IAS. He then pitched the aircraft down to avoid the birds, which accelerated the aircraft to an estimated 85 knots, at approximately 15 ft. AGL. The pilot acknowledged the fast approach speed and conditions and attempted to execute a go around. He applied power and moved the flaps from full down (30 degrees) to full up. This caused the aircraft to sink and contact the runway. Once the aircraft contacted pavement it veered to the left and off the runway. Once in the turf the left main landing gear sank in to the wet ground cause the aircraft to flip on to its left side causing substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
A COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER RATED PILOT TRANSITIONING TO FIXED WING WAS ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS ON APPROACH TO KOXB (OCEAN CITY AIRPORT). WHILE ON AN EXTENDED LEFT BASE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW A LARGE FLOCK OF BIRDS CONGREGATING TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. ONCE THE PILOT BEGAN HIS FINAL APPROACH, THE BIRDS BEGAN TO MOVE IN TO A POSITION ABOVE HIS APPROACH PATH. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT AN APPROACH AT 70 KNOTS IAS. HE THEN PITCHED THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TO AVOID THE BIRDS, WHICH ACCELERATED THE AIRCRAFT TO AN ESTIMATED 85 KNOTS, AT APPROXIMATELY 15 FT. AGL. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE FAST APPROACH SPEED AND CONDITIONS AND ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A GO AROUND. HE APPLIED POWER AND MOVED THE FLAPS FROM FULL DOWN (30 DEGREES) TO FULL UP. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SINK AND CONTACT THE RUNWAY. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED PAVEMENT IT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND OFF THE RUNWAY. ONCE IN THE TURF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SANK IN TO THE WET GROUND CAUSE THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP ON TO ITS LEFT SIDE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.