What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While conducting flight training operations in the pattern at khwy, Cessna 172S, N2100S, struck a bird while in flight. Student pilot was receiving instruction from CFI. The airplane was being operated from runway 33 and was positioned in a climbing left turn from left crosswind to left downwind when crew noticed 4 to 5 large birds circling and moving left to right. Crew estimated that their continued left turn and the birds' direction of movement would avoid a conflict or collision. One of the birds, unseen by the crew, impacted the leading edge of the right wing a few feet inward from the wing tip. The collision was very significant and the CFI, concerned with potential aircraft control problems, assumed control of flight controls.
An aircraft on the runway prevented an immediate landing to runway 15 and the flight characteristics and handling appeared to be normal so crew elected to continue to fly a normal pattern to a normal landing. The landing was made without further incident or any unusual handling characteristics.
There were no injuries to the crew nor other damage to the airplane in addition to the damage caused by the bird strike.
Airplane was grounded upon taxi to the flight school ramp and appropriate personnel were immediately notified.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE CONDUCTING FLIGHT TRAINING OPERATIONS IN THE PATTERN AT KHWY, CESSNA 172S, N2100S, STRUCK A BIRD WHILE IN FLIGHT. STUDENT PILOT WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION FROM CFI. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED FROM RUNWAY 33 AND WAS POSITIONED IN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN FROM LEFT CROSSWIND TO LEFT DOWNWIND WHEN CREW NOTICED 4 TO 5 LARGE BIRDS CIRCLING AND MOVING LEFT TO RIGHT. CREW ESTIMATED THAT THEIR CONTINUED LEFT TURN AND THE BIRDS' DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT WOULD AVOID A CONFLICT OR COLLISION. ONE OF THE BIRDS, UNSEEN BY THE CREW, IMPACTED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING A FEW FEET INWARD FROM THE WING TIP. THE COLLISION WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT AND THE CFI, CONCERNED WITH POTENTIAL AIRCRAFT CONTROL PROBLEMS, ASSUMED CONTROL OF FLIGHT CONTROLS.
AN AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY PREVENTED AN IMMEDIATE LANDING TO RUNWAY 15 AND THE FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS AND HANDLING APPEARED TO BE NORMAL SO CREW ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO FLY A NORMAL PATTERN TO A NORMAL LANDING. THE LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT OR ANY UNUSUAL HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS.
THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE CREW NOR OTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE IN ADDITION TO THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE BIRD STRIKE.
AIRPLANE WAS GROUNDED UPON TAXI TO THE FLIGHT SCHOOL RAMP AND APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL WERE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.