# NTSB ANC05CA095: Cessna 207, N48CF, Bethel, AK, July 3, 2005

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 3, 2005, 12:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place: Bethel, AK
- Coordinates: 60.766666, -161.833328
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.7667&lon=-161.8333&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Anchorage FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 62023
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05CA095
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62023/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05CA095

## Probable cause

An in-flight collision with a bird during cruise flight, which resulted in structural damage to the airplane's wing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, cruise
  - evasive maneuver - attempted, pilot in command
  - object - bird(s) (cause)

## Analysis

The solo commercial pilot was in cruise flight at 1,000 feet agl, when he noted a large bird headed towards the airplane.  He tried to avoid the collision by turning the airplane to the right, but the bird subsequently struck the left wing of the airplane.  A postaccident inspection revealed structural damage to the airplane's left wing spar.

## Factual narrative

On July 3, 2005, about 1245 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 207 airplane, N48CF, sustained structural damage as a result of a bird strike while in cruise flight between Bethel, Alaska, and Nightmute, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Grant Aviation, Inc., of Emmonak, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, at the time of the accident.  The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was in effect.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 6, the operator's director of operations reported that after departing from Bethel, while in level cruise flight at 1,000 feet agl, the pilot noted a large bird heading towards the airplane.  The director of operations said that the pilot tried to avoid the collision by turning the airplane to the right, but the bird subsequently struck the left wing of the airplane.  A postaccident inspection revealed structural damage to the airplane's left wing spar.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N48CF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N48CF), registered now, S/N 20700366 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 207
- Registry model: [Cessna T207A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t207a) (registry code 2073614) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 207-00366
- Engines: Continental IO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Positioning, Part 91
- Registered owner: Grant Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: BET, Bethel, AK
- Destination: AK08, NIGHTMUTE, AK
- Flight plan: Company VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 2,500 total, 100 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20050703017389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050703017389A), Jul 3, 2005: Cessna T207A, Bethel, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 3, 2005 the pilot [privacy data omitted] departed Bethel, Alaska @ 12:38 local time enroute to nightmute igt. At 1000' in cruise flight saw bird…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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