What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While returning to the aircraft base after departing a local hospital, the aircraft impacted a flock of birds and was substantially damaged. The aircraft was cruising at roughly 2200’ MSL or 1100’ AGL with the autopilot engaged and airspeed set to about 135KTS. The PIC was wearing night vision goggles (nvgs) for this flight. The PIC saw multiple birds just before impact and grabbed the cyclic to pull back and simultaneously ducked down to protect his face. Both windscreens were compromised on impact. The PIC slowed the aircraft and verified that the two medical staff were ok. The PIC determined that the aircraft was operating fine and initiated a climb to 3000’ MSL. The PIC had difficulty seeing due to cold air rushing in his face and decided to remove the nvgs and lower the clear visor. The PIC elected to divert to a nearby airport. While on short final to the diversion airport, the PIC noticed a piece of windscreen (approximately eight inches) in between the anti-torque pedals. The PIC requested the medic in the co-pilot seat to remove their seatbelt to reach down and remove the windscreen. This was accomplished without event and the medic safely buckled back up prior to landing, which was also uneventful. The PIC noted some knee pain and several scratches to ankles. The medic in the co-pilot seat had a small cut on their wrist. The third crewmember had no injuries. The entire flight was 13 minutes from takeoff to touchdown and 7 minutes from bird impact.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE RETURNING TO THE AIRCRAFT BASE AFTER DEPARTING A LOCAL HOSPITAL, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A FLOCK OF BIRDS AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRUISING AT ROUGHLY 2200’ MSL OR 1100’ AGL WITH THE AUTOPILOT ENGAGED AND AIRSPEED SET TO ABOUT 135KTS. THE PIC WAS WEARING NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (NVGS) FOR THIS FLIGHT. THE PIC SAW MULTIPLE BIRDS JUST BEFORE IMPACT AND GRABBED THE CYCLIC TO PULL BACK AND SIMULTANEOUSLY DUCKED DOWN TO PROTECT HIS FACE. BOTH WINDSCREENS WERE COMPROMISED ON IMPACT. THE PIC SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT AND VERIFIED THAT THE TWO MEDICAL STAFF WERE OK. THE PIC DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING FINE AND INITIATED A CLIMB TO 3000’ MSL. THE PIC HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING DUE TO COLD AIR RUSHING IN HIS FACE AND DECIDED TO REMOVE THE NVGS AND LOWER THE CLEAR VISOR. THE PIC ELECTED TO DIVERT TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL TO THE DIVERSION AIRPORT, THE PIC NOTICED A PIECE OF WINDSCREEN (APPROXIMATELY EIGHT INCHES) IN BETWEEN THE ANTI-TORQUE PEDALS. THE PIC REQUESTED THE MEDIC IN THE CO-PILOT SEAT TO REMOVE THEIR SEATBELT TO REACH DOWN AND REMOVE THE WINDSCREEN. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT EVENT AND THE MEDIC SAFELY BUCKLED BACK UP PRIOR TO LANDING, WHICH WAS ALSO UNEVENTFUL. THE PIC NOTED SOME KNEE PAIN AND SEVERAL SCRATCHES TO ANKLES. THE MEDIC IN THE CO-PILOT SEAT HAD A SMALL CUT ON THEIR WRIST. THE THIRD CREWMEMBER HAD NO INJURIES. THE ENTIRE FLIGHT WAS 13 MINUTES FROM TAKEOFF TO TOUCHDOWN AND 7 MINUTES FROM BIRD IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.