# NTSB CEN24LA035: Grassman Timothy B RV-14A, N5875G, Houston, TX, November 3, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 3, 2023, 11:32 local (16:32 UTC)
- Place: Houston, TX
- Coordinates: 30.392952, -95.444438
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3930&lon=-95.4444&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- 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, Houston FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193365
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA035
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193365/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193365
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA035

## Probable cause

The bird strike to the airplane’s vertical stabilizer during an approach for landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Empennage structure: vertical stabilizer](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035530): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Grassman Timothy B RV-14A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035530/cases.md?model=0564055), [All aircraft, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035530/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Grassman Timothy B RV-14A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=0564055), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of the personal flight stated that during a two mile final for landing at the destination airport, he encountered a group of four large birds. He pitched the airplane down to avoid striking one of the birds, but he did not have time to avoid them. The airplane struck one of the birds at an airspeed of 105 kts and at an altitude of 880 ft mean sea level. The bird, identified as a black vulture, remained draped around the vertical stabilizer, and there was some loss of stability about the vertical axis. The pilot still had positive control of the airplane, and he declared an emergency landing without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5875G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5875G), registered now, S/N 140691, built 2023 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRASSMAN TIMOTHY B RV-14A
- Registry model: [Grassman Timothy B RV-14A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grassman-timothy-b-rv-14a) (registry code 0564055) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming YIO-390 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-yio-390-series) (registry code 42418, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 140691
- Year built: 2023
- Airframe hours: 19.2
- Engines: Lycoming YIO-390-EXP292 215 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, July 21, 2023
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: CXO, Conroe/North Houston Regional Airport, runway 14, 7,501 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 14, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 16,572 total, 20 in this make and model, 2,241 as pilot in command, 207 in the last 90 days, 64 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observed at: CXO

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 20231103017509I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231103017509I), Nov 3, 2023: Grassman Timothy B RV-14A, Willis, TX, Substantial damage. While on a straight in visual approach 2 mile final and cleared to land on runway 14 at kcxo, aircraft encountered a group of aproximately 4 large birds. Pilot…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 4, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193365. 2.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16429318&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Additional pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 182 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16429930&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email%20Re_%20NTSB%20Accident%20Report%20Form%20and%20Bird%20Stike%20Report,%20CEN24LA035%20RV-14A%20N5875G_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� bird identification (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16429143&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Bird%20Identification-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16428541&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-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.

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