20210813004339I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 · Boise, ID · August 13, 2021

Date: August 13, 2021 · 06:03 local
Place: Boise, ID
Airport: Boise Airport
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
Operator: SILS
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N844DT
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0

N844DTRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 0622 · Built 1999 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

Following IFR practice approaches at boi the aircraft departed boi and was cleared direct for a VFR practice approach to caldwell (eul) airport. The instructor said they were 3 miles west of boi and were climbing from 4700' to 5000' when he heard a loud bang and assumed control of the aircraft. Upon a quick check of the cockpit he noticed the students i-pad was now in his lap (it was mounted to the windscreen via suction cups) and the student was covered in blood. He advised boi that he had hit a bird and that it had penetrated the right side of the windscreen. He requested to returned to boi and had emergency equipment meet him on the ramp. Emergency services met the aircraft on western aircraft ramp. There it was discovered the blood was from the bird, student had a minor scratch on a finger.

As the FAA filed it

FOLLOWING IFR PRACTICE APPROACHES AT BOI THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BOI AND WAS CLEARED DIRECT FOR A VFR PRACTICE APPROACH TO CALDWELL (EUL) AIRPORT. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THEY WERE 3 MILES WEST OF BOI AND WERE CLIMBING FROM 4700' TO 5000' WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. UPON A QUICK CHECK OF THE COCKPIT HE NOTICED THE STUDENTS I-PAD WAS NOW IN HIS LAP (IT WAS MOUNTED TO THE WINDSCREEN VIA SUCTION CUPS) AND THE STUDENT WAS COVERED IN BLOOD. HE ADVISED BOI THAT HE HAD HIT A BIRD AND THAT IT HAD PENETRATED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE WINDSCREEN. HE REQUESTED TO RETURNED TO BOI AND HAD EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT MEET HIM ON THE RAMP. EMERGENCY SERVICES MET THE AIRCRAFT ON WESTERN AIRCRAFT RAMP. THERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THE BLOOD WAS FROM THE BIRD, STUDENT HAD A MINOR SCRATCH ON A FINGER.