20231129018039A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172N · Watsonville, CA · November 29, 2023

Date: November 29, 2023 · 12:00 local
Place: Watsonville, CA
Airport: Watsonville Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6212F
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR24LA049
Reported as: Cessna 172N
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 680 total

N6212FRegistered now · Cessna 172NS/N 17273167 · Built 1979 Airframe modelCessna 172N Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

The student pilot and CFI took off from Watsonville, CA airport on 11/29/2023 around 1200 under normal conditions. During climb out, at about 800 feet MSL, the crew saw a dark object out of the corner of their eye last minute before they had a chance to manuever away from it. Then they felt and heard the object strike the aircraft. They were able to visually see the bird stuck in the left leading edge horizontal stabilizer. Pilot then radio the airport of the incident and their intentions to land. Pilot was able to land the aircraft without issue.

As the FAA filed it

THE STUDENT PILOT AND CFI TOOK OFF FROM WATSONVILLE, CA AIRPORT ON 11/29/2023 AROUND 1200 UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. DURING CLIMB OUT, AT ABOUT 800 FEET MSL, THE CREW SAW A DARK OBJECT OUT OF THE CORNER OF THEIR EYE LAST MINUTE BEFORE THEY HAD A CHANCE TO MANUEVER AWAY FROM IT. THEN THEY FELT AND HEARD THE OBJECT STRIKE THE AIRCRAFT. THEY WERE ABLE TO VISUALLY SEE THE BIRD STUCK IN THE LEFT LEADING EDGE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. PILOT THEN RADIO THE AIRPORT OF THE INCIDENT AND THEIR INTENTIONS TO LAND. PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT ISSUE.

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 WPR24LA049Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportWatsonville, CAAn in-flight collision with a bird while in the initial climb.Nov 29, 2023 · Substantial damage