What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approx. 1130 hrs eastern standard time in VFR conditions N521TR departed ktix on rwy 18. Wind was out of 180 at approx 6 knots. Aircraft climbed to 500? On rwy heading, then turned sw. Pilot reduced the prop RPM from 2700 to 2500 upon reaching 500? Altitude while maintaining maximum manifold pressure. At approximately 1500? Altitude and when between 3 and 4 NM from the airport pilot heard and felt an impact in the rear of the aircraft. Pilot immediately pushed and leveled out, while beginning a turn back to ktix. Pilot radioed ktix tower that aircraft was returning and declared an emergency. Pilot reduced power to idle and glided to the airport. Pilot accepted a downwind landing on rwy 36 and landed uneventfully. Aircraft was met by the airport fire engine which operator stated he did not see obvious damage, however, the engine was still at approx. 1000 RPM. When adding power to taxi pilot noted a marked vibration. Upon shutting down pilot saw one prop blade destroyed and the port, aft-most exhaust pipe was bent forward and the tip of the pipe was missing. The area south of ktix is known for bird activity. There was blood on the prop blades. Pilot assume a bird struck the prop, then went forward the few inches required to hit, bend and break the exhaust pipe.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROX. 1130 HRS EASTERN STANDARD TIME IN VFR CONDITIONS N521TR DEPARTED KTIX ON RWY 18. WIND WAS OUT OF 180 AT APPROX 6 KNOTS. AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 500? ON RWY HEADING, THEN TURNED SW. PILOT REDUCED THE PROP RPM FROM 2700 TO 2500 UPON REACHING 500? ALTITUDE WHILE MAINTAINING MAXIMUM MANIFOLD PRESSURE. AT APPROXIMATELY 1500? ALTITUDE AND WHEN BETWEEN 3 AND 4 NM FROM THE AIRPORT PILOT HEARD AND FELT AN IMPACT IN THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT IMMEDIATELY PUSHED AND LEVELED OUT, WHILE BEGINNING A TURN BACK TO KTIX. PILOT RADIOED KTIX TOWER THAT AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. PILOT REDUCED POWER TO IDLE AND GLIDED TO THE AIRPORT. PILOT ACCEPTED A DOWNWIND LANDING ON RWY 36 AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. AIRCRAFT WAS MET BY THE AIRPORT FIRE ENGINE WHICH OPERATOR STATED HE DID NOT SEE OBVIOUS DAMAGE, HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WAS STILL AT APPROX. 1000 RPM. WHEN ADDING POWER TO TAXI PILOT NOTED A MARKED VIBRATION. UPON SHUTTING DOWN PILOT SAW ONE PROP BLADE DESTROYED AND THE PORT, AFT-MOST EXHAUST PIPE WAS BENT FORWARD AND THE TIP OF THE PIPE WAS MISSING. THE AREA SOUTH OF KTIX IS KNOWN FOR BIRD ACTIVITY. THERE WAS BLOOD ON THE PROP BLADES. PILOT ASSUME A BIRD STRUCK THE PROP, THEN WENT FORWARD THE FEW INCHES REQUIRED TO HIT, BEND AND BREAK THE EXHAUST PIPE.