# Incident 20260227001409I: Cessna 172S, Middle River, MD, February 27, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 27, 2026, 15:50 local time
- Place: Middle River, MD
- Airport: Martin State
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.3257° N, 76.4138° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at MARTIN STATE (MTN), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3257&lon=-76.4138&mi=10
- Aircraft: N45EF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N45EF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 38 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260227001409I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON FEBRUARY 27, 2026, A CESSNA 172S, SUSTAINED OTHER THAN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT-WING TIP AND LEADING EDGE FROM A BIRD STRIKE 4NM NW OF MARTIN STATE AIRPORT (KMTN) AT ALTITUDE BETWEEN 015 AND 020 BASE TO FINAL RUNWAY 15. THE PIC CONTACTED THE KMTN TOWER AFTER LANDING TO REPORT THE INCIDENT.

THE PIC WAS INTERVIEWED BY THIS REPORTING INSPECTOR AND STATED THAT A VULTURE TYPE BIRD HIT THE AIRCRAFT AFTER HE COMPLETED A 360° RIGHT TURN AS ORDER BY THE KMTN CONTROL TOWER. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS AROUND 4 NM ON BASE FINAL, THE PIC IDENTIFIED TWO VULTURE TYPE BIRDS FLYING IN SOARING PATTERNS BEFORE ONE OF THEM HIT THE RIGHT-WING TIP AND LEADING EDGE, THE PIC REMAINED IN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENTS.  NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED, AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) PREVAILED. THE OPERATION WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 RULES.

## Other reports on N45EF (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20130821015319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130821015319A), Aug 21, 2013: Cessna 172S (N45EF), Zionsville, IN, Substantial damage. On August 21, 2013, at approximately 1915 local time, a Cessna 172S, N45EF, registered to eagle flyers ii LLC, crashed during takeoff and landing practice at…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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