- Date
- October 6, 2023, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Riesel, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2444HCessna 172R
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20231006021009A
- Case key
- 193309
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 bird.
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 flight instructor and student pilot were conducting a local instructional flight and saw several large birds in front of the airplane. They attempted to avoid the birds but were unable, and one bird collided with the left wing. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane, which was difficult to control, and returned to the airport for an uneventful landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2444H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17280874
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 1,641
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Texas State Technical College
- Registered owner
- Christiansen Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 28, 2023
- Airport
- CNW
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, ADS-B, Stall warning system
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Remote
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 7, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 465 total · 400 in this make and model · 370 as pilot in command · 94 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 18
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 22.4 total · 16.9 in this make and model · 16.9 in the last 90 days · 5.8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 16, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.1 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.