20200412001019I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Airbus Helicopters AS350B3 · Tampa, FL · April 12, 2020

Date: April 12, 2020 · 22:30 local
Place: Tampa, FL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N160CC
Reported as: Airbus Helicopters AS350B3
Reported engine: SAFRAN ARRIEL-2D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 964 total770 in this make and model38 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

N160CC is a law enforcement aircraft that was in level cruise southbound, 95 knots at 1000 feet MSL, in the area of bruce b. downs and fowler avenue, Tampa, FL., enroute to home base (kvdf).

The pilot noticed a loud bang in the forward area of the aircraft, followed by the airconditioner immediately blowing warm, and debris and feathers hitting him in the face.

The pilot checked cautionary panel and control inputs. After reducing airspeed, the wind entering the cockpit was tolerable and the decision was made that continuing approximately 4-5 miles to kvdf would be accomplished safely. Upon landing, it was confirmed that the aircraft had struck a bird. The bird struck the lower right section of the nose of the aircraft, breaking through and lodging inside the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

N160CC IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AIRCRAFT THAT WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE SOUTHBOUND, 95 KNOTS AT 1000 FEET MSL, IN THE AREA OF BRUCE B. DOWNS AND FOWLER AVENUE, TAMPA, FL., ENROUTE TO HOME BASE (KVDF).

THE PILOT NOTICED A LOUD BANG IN THE FORWARD AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT, FOLLOWED BY THE AIRCONDITIONER IMMEDIATELY BLOWING WARM, AND DEBRIS AND FEATHERS HITTING HIM IN THE FACE.

THE PILOT CHECKED CAUTIONARY PANEL AND CONTROL INPUTS. AFTER REDUCING AIRSPEED, THE WIND ENTERING THE COCKPIT WAS TOLERABLE AND THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT CONTINUING APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES TO KVDF WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED SAFELY. UPON LANDING, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD STRUCK A BIRD. THE BIRD STRUCK THE LOWER RIGHT SECTION OF THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT, BREAKING THROUGH AND LODGING INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT.