# Incident 20210713010689I: Cessna 182N, Bellingham, WA, July 13, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 13, 2021, 17:05 local time
- Place: Bellingham, WA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.7534° N, 122.4702° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bellingham, WA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.7534&lon=-122.4702&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8949G, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8949G) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 182N (registry code 2072730, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182N
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210713010689I

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 13, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 HOURS LOCAL TIME, CESSNA 182F WITH AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION N8949G, DEPARTED RUNWAY 16 AT BELLINGHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KBLI). DURING CLIMB-OUT AT MIDFIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 150-200 FEET ALTITUDE, A SEAGULL CROSSED THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE AIRCRAFT. IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID THE SEAGULL FROM DIRECTLY HITTING THE AIRCRAFT?S WINDSHIELD, THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT AND BANKED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED HOWEVER THAT THE SEAGULL STRUCK THE PROPELLER AND WENT THROUGH HITTING THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT INDICATED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY SCANNED HIS INSTRUMENTS AND VERIFIED THAT ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. FOLLOWING THE COLLISION WITH THE BIRD, THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED KBLI CONTROL TOWER AND REQUESTED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.

THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NO INJURY TO CREW AND PASSENGERS WERE REPORTED. AFTER LANDING, PILOT PERFORMED AN INSPECTION TO THE AIRCRAFT, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO A PORTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE UPPER AND LOWER LEADING EDGE OF THE ENGINE COWLINGS. ALSO, THERE WERE  BLOOD STAINS AND FEATHERS ON THE OIL COOLER AND BLOOD STAINS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HORIZONTAL EMPENNAGE LEADING EDGE AND WING STRUT. NO MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WAS FOUND DURING THE PILOT?S POST FLIGHT INSPECTION.

## Other reports on N8949G (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19910511015409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910511015409A), May 11, 1991: Cessna 182N (N8949G), Shelton, WA, Substantial damage. Forced landing on highway. Made hard landing due wires and traffic. Connecting rods failed. Two hrs since overhaul.

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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