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20260422002969I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Cessna 172N · Middleton, WI · April 22, 2026

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 22, 2026 · 16:30 local
Place
Middleton, WI
Airport
Middleton Municipal/Morey Fld
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N3206E
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
352 total
N3206ERegistered now · Cessna 172NS/N 17271467 · Built 1978Airframe modelCessna 172NEngine 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.

On Wednesday, April 22, at 1630 CDT, a Cessna 172 encountered a bird strike to the left wing, just outboard of the wing strut. The incident occurred approximately 3-4 nautical miles from C29 (Middleton municipal airport) at an altitude of 2,000 feet. A large bird came into contact with the left wing. The pilot in command (PIC) landed without incident. A visual inspection of the left wing showed a large dent just aft of the left wing strut.

As the FAA filed it

ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, AT 1630 CDT, A CESSNA 172 ENCOUNTERED A BIRD STRIKE TO THE LEFT WING, JUST OUTBOARD OF THE WING STRUT. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 3-4 NAUTICAL MILES FROM C29 (MIDDLETON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT) AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2,000 FEET. A LARGE BIRD CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE LEFT WING SHOWED A LARGE DENT JUST AFT OF THE LEFT WING STRUT.