- Date
- June 10, 2009, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brownwood, TX
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6393RCessna 172RG
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 74071
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 while on the downwind leg of a traffic pattern.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot reported that he was on the left downwind leg of a traffic pattern when a large buzzard struck the leading edge of the single-engine airplane's left wing. The pilot reported that there were no difficulties maintaining control of the airplane and that he was able to make a normal landing. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the wing's rib structure.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was on a left downwind of a traffic pattern when a large "buzzard" struck the leading edge of the single-engine airplane's left wing. The pilot reported that there were no difficulties maintaining control of the airplane and he was able to make a normal landing. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the wing's rib structure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6393R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172RG0176
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Curry Harvey R
- Registered owner
- Curry Harvey R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Commanche, TX
- Destination
- BWD · Brownwood, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- BWD · Brownwood, runway 17
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
- 60
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 631 total · 34 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 24, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.