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20211122018529A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Leonardo AW169 · Austin, TX · November 22, 2021

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 22, 2021 · 14:25 local
Place
Austin, TX
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
LEUA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N307TC
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN22LA057
Reported as
Leonardo AW169
Reported engine
Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210A
People aboard
5
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
4,150 total
N307TCRegistered now · Leonardo AW169S/N 69081 · Built 2019Airframe modelLeonardo AW169Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PW210ATurbo-shaft

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.

Star flight 1 (N307TC) on 22 nov 21 while transporting a patient, a turkey vulture impacted the aircraft in flight. PIC conducted a precautionary landing at TE94, which was approximately a minute away from where the impact occurred. SF1 was returning to Austin with a patient on board when a black vulture appeared in front of the aircraft and impacted within in a matter of seconds from first sight. The medical crewmember sitting in the front left cockpit seat, was the first to see the bird and announced its presence. The vulture was first seen ascending from the lower left field of view, it maintained its current track. It looked as though it was going to impact directly in the middle of the right front windshield. As soon as PIC saw the vulture, he maneuvered the aircraft to the left and started to descend in an attempt to avoid the vulture or minimize the severity of the impact location on the aircraft. Seemingly, within a couple of seconds after maneuvering the bird impacted the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

STAR FLIGHT 1 (N307TC) ON 22 NOV 21 WHILE TRANSPORTING A PATIENT, A TURKEY VULTURE IMPACTED THE AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT. PIC CONDUCTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT TE94, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY A MINUTE AWAY FROM WHERE THE IMPACT OCCURRED. SF1 WAS RETURNING TO AUSTIN WITH A PATIENT ON BOARD WHEN A BLACK VULTURE APPEARED IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IMPACTED WITHIN IN A MATTER OF SECONDS FROM FIRST SIGHT. THE MEDICAL CREWMEMBER SITTING IN THE FRONT LEFT COCKPIT SEAT, WAS THE FIRST TO SEE THE BIRD AND ANNOUNCED ITS PRESENCE. THE VULTURE WAS FIRST SEEN ASCENDING FROM THE LOWER LEFT FIELD OF VIEW, IT MAINTAINED ITS CURRENT TRACK. IT LOOKED AS THOUGH IT WAS GOING TO IMPACT DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIGHT FRONT WINDSHIELD. AS SOON AS PIC SAW THE VULTURE, HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT AND STARTED TO DESCEND IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE VULTURE OR MINIMIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE IMPACT LOCATION ON THE AIRCRAFT. SEEMINGLY, WITHIN A COUPLE OF SECONDS AFTER MANEUVERING THE BIRD IMPACTED THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN22LA057Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAustin, TXThe helicopter’s impact with a bird during cruise flight.Nov 22, 2021 · Substantial damage