What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Investigation. N104MX is an aerobatic airplane based at warrenton municipal airport (khwy). The airplane was being operated in the conduct of an aerobatic routine at the flying circus aerodrome (3VA3), on the afternoon of may 22, 2022, as part of the weekly flying circus air show. The pilot is an ATP certificated pilot with asel commercial privileges with no history of accidents, noncompliance or enforcement and who was properly certificated, qualified and current for the flight. The flight was properly operated within the limitations and waivers approved for the airshow. During a high speed low pass while maneuvering, the plane struck a large bird, believed to be a turkey vulture. The bird was previously not observed by the pilot until it was struck. The pilot immediately discontinued the routine, in accordance with show protocol, notified the air boss accordingly, determined that the airplane remained controllable and returned to his home base which was the closest suitable airport for operations. The iic was notified the morning of Monday, may 23, 2022. The bird strike was classified as an incident pending evaluation of the damage by an aw ASI. Aw ASI was assigned may 24, 2022 and evaluated photos of damage on may 25, 2022. Damage was determined to be substantial, resulting in reclassification as an accident. Iic notified FAA roc and NTSB upon classification as an accident.
As the FAA filed it
INVESTIGATION. N104MX IS AN AEROBATIC AIRPLANE BASED AT WARRENTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KHWY). THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE CONDUCT OF AN AEROBATIC ROUTINE AT THE FLYING CIRCUS AERODROME (3VA3), ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 22, 2022, AS PART OF THE WEEKLY FLYING CIRCUS AIR SHOW. THE PILOT IS AN ATP CERTIFICATED PILOT WITH ASEL COMMERCIAL PRIVILEGES WITH NO HISTORY OF ACCIDENTS, NONCOMPLIANCE OR ENFORCEMENT AND WHO WAS PROPERLY CERTIFICATED, QUALIFIED AND CURRENT FOR THE FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS PROPERLY OPERATED WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS AND WAIVERS APPROVED FOR THE AIRSHOW. DURING A HIGH SPEED LOW PASS WHILE MANEUVERING, THE PLANE STRUCK A LARGE BIRD, BELIEVED TO BE A TURKEY VULTURE. THE BIRD WAS PREVIOUSLY NOT OBSERVED BY THE PILOT UNTIL IT WAS STRUCK. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY DISCONTINUED THE ROUTINE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SHOW PROTOCOL, NOTIFIED THE AIR BOSS ACCORDINGLY, DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE REMAINED CONTROLLABLE AND RETURNED TO HIS HOME BASE WHICH WAS THE CLOSEST SUITABLE AIRPORT FOR OPERATIONS. THE IIC WAS NOTIFIED THE MORNING OF MONDAY, MAY 23, 2022. THE BIRD STRIKE WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT PENDING EVALUATION OF THE DAMAGE BY AN AW ASI. AW ASI WAS ASSIGNED MAY 24, 2022 AND EVALUATED PHOTOS OF DAMAGE ON MAY 25, 2022. DAMAGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE SUBSTANTIAL, RESULTING IN RECLASSIFICATION AS AN ACCIDENT. IIC NOTIFIED FAA ROC AND NTSB UPON CLASSIFICATION AS AN ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.