What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 6, 2023, at 16:39 CDT in VFR conditions,13+ miles to the southeast of Waco Texas (cnw), the instructor and student were performing ground reference training maneuvers at 1000 feet. During this maneuvering, the crew detected 4 to 5 large birds at 12 o’clock from their position. The visibility inside the turn was poor due to the high – wing configuration of the plane, and the crew was not able to see the direction the birds were turning until they rolled out wings level. The crew immediately attempted to avoid the birds by performing evasive maneuvers but could not avoid the collision with the birds. As a result, the airplane was struck on the left wing’s outboard leading edge causing substantial damage and immediate controllability issues. The crew declared and emergency. The instructor pilot stated that he was unable to control the aircraft unless he maintained full power and at least 125 knots IAS, with the alerions fully deflected opposite to the damaged wing, until touchdown of the aircraft at (cnw) Waco’s airport. The emergency landing was successful with no additional damages to the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 6, 2023, AT 16:39 CDT IN VFR CONDITIONS,13+ MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF WACO TEXAS (CNW), THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PERFORMING GROUND REFERENCE TRAINING MANEUVERS AT 1000 FEET. DURING THIS MANEUVERING, THE CREW DETECTED 4 TO 5 LARGE BIRDS AT 12 O’CLOCK FROM THEIR POSITION. THE VISIBILITY INSIDE THE TURN WAS POOR DUE TO THE HIGH – WING CONFIGURATION OF THE PLANE, AND THE CREW WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE DIRECTION THE BIRDS WERE TURNING UNTIL THEY ROLLED OUT WINGS LEVEL. THE CREW IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO AVOID THE BIRDS BY PERFORMING EVASIVE MANEUVERS BUT COULD NOT AVOID THE COLLISION WITH THE BIRDS. AS A RESULT, THE AIRPLANE WAS STRUCK ON THE LEFT WING’S OUTBOARD LEADING EDGE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND IMMEDIATE CONTROLLABILITY ISSUES. THE CREW DECLARED AND EMERGENCY. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT UNLESS HE MAINTAINED FULL POWER AND AT LEAST 125 KNOTS IAS, WITH THE ALERIONS FULLY DEFLECTED OPPOSITE TO THE DAMAGED WING, UNTIL TOUCHDOWN OF THE AIRCRAFT AT (CNW) WACO’S AIRPORT. THE EMERGENCY LANDING WAS SUCCESSFUL WITH NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGES TO 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.
Other reports on N2444H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.