- Date
- September 6, 2013, 05:15 local (10:15 UTC)
- Place
- Delavan, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N86586Bellanca 7ECA
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report February 4, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20130906016539A
- Case key
- 87987
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
The collision with a hawk during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and subsequent noseover.
Findings · 2
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
During the takeoff roll, a hawk struck the airplane's windscreen and then struck the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The airplane veered to the right, exited the runway and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. A postaccident examination revealed that the hawk had lodged between the vertical stabilizer and rudder which interfered with the flight controls and deflected the rudder to the right. There were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
During the takeoff roll, a hawk struck the airplane's windscreen and then struck the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The airplane veered to the right, exited the runway and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. A postaccident examination revealed that the hawk had lodged between the vertical stabilizer and rudder which interfered with the flight controls and deflected the rudder to the right. There were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N86586
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1005-74
- Airframe hours
- 1,092
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-235 CI, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stick & Rudder LLC
- Registered owner
- Stick & Rudder LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 10, 2013 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- C59 · Delavan, WI
- Destination
- ENW · Kenosha, WI
- Airport
- C59 · Lake Lawn Airport, runway 36, 4,423 × 80 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
- 35
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,700 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 33 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- BUU, 14 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.