# NTSB CEN23LA131: Beech E-55, N101BM, Tomball, TX, March 6, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 6, 2023, 15:20 local (21:20 UTC) - Place: Tomball, TX - Coordinates: 30.05408, -95.552078 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0541&lon=-95.5521&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Houston FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 106881 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106881/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106881 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA131 ## Probable cause An inflight collision with a bird. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech E-55, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech E-55, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that during an instructional flight, a large bird flew into the path of the airplane and his evasive actions were unsuccessful in avoiding the bird. The bird struck the airplane’s left wing. The flight instructor made an uneventful landing following the bird strike. The left-wing leading edge and main spar were substantially damaged during the bird strike. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N101BM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N101BM), registered now, S/N TE-847, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH E-55 - Registry model: [Beech E-55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-55) (registry code 1152732) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TE-847 - Year built: 1971 - Airframe hours: 4732 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES 285 horsepower reciprocating; CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Pour Le Martie Flying Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 10, 2022 - Departed: KDWH, Spring, TX - Destination: KDWH, Spring, TX - Airport: DWH, David Wayne Hooks Meml, runway 17R, 7,009 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; military, airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 4, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 20,470 total, 148 in this make and model, 2,632 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 10, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KDWH, 1 nm away - METAR: KDWH 062053Z 25003KT 10SM SCT038 BKN050 27/18 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP147 T02720178 56026= ## 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 20230306001799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230306001799A), Mar 6, 2023: Beech E-55, Klein, TX, Substantial damage. Pilot reported a bird strike off the departure end of rwy resulting in damage to the left-wing leading edge. Pilot declared an emergency, landed aircraft, and… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 12, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106881. 1.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15311858&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N101BM%20NTSB%20Form%206120-1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 419 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15309179&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.