- Date
- June 17, 1998, 17:30 local (Jun 18, 1998, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bethel, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2162CCessna 207
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 20, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980617024509A
- Case key
- 43072
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An in-flight collision with a large bird.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The certificated commercial pilot entered a left downwind for landing on runway 18, when he noticed a brown object pass in front of the windshield, from left to right, striking the right wing. The pilot said he was able to continue the approach and make a normal landing. Company maintenance personnel reported substantial damage to the right wing's leading edge and rib assemblies, and noted the presence of what appeared to be goose feathers, imbedded in the damaged portion of the wing. In the pilot/operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, he reported that the right wing leading edge skin was crushed back to the forward portion of the spar. The entire leading edge was replaced between the tip cap, and outboard of the attach point of the wing strut.
Factual narrative
On June 17, 1998, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 207 airplane, N2162C, sustained substantial damage as a result of a bird strike during approach to the Bethel Airport, Bethel, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane is registered to and operated by Kusko Aviation, Inc., Bethel, Alaska. The certificated commercial pilot, and the three passengers aboard, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Quinhagak Airport, Quinhagak, Alaska, about 1655.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, on July 20, 1998, the pilot stated that while on a left downwind for landing on runway 18, he noticed a brown object pass in front of the windshield, from left to right, striking the right wing. The pilot said he was able to continue the approach, and made a normal landing. Company maintenance personnel performed a postflight inspection and reported substantial damage to the right wing's leading edge and rib assemblies. They noted what appeared to be goose feathers imbedded in the damaged portion of the wing.
In the pilot/operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, and dated August 7, 1998, he reported that right wing leading edge skin was crushed back to the forward portion of the spar. The entire leading edge was replaced between the tip cap, and outboard of the attach point of the wing strut.
The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2162C
- Reported as
- Cessna 207
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20700575
- Airframe hours
- 7,750
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Kusko Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 5, 1998 · 66 hours before
- Departed
- AQH · Quinhagak, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- BET · Bethel, runway 18, 6,398 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2162C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.