# NTSB ERA21LA197: Cessna 402C, N36911, New Bedford, MA, April 22, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 22, 2021, 07:40 local (11:40 UTC)
- Place: New Bedford, MA · Landed safely at airport
- Coordinates: 41.676566, -70.957836
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6766&lon=-70.9578&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-descent: 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: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103002
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA197
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103002/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103002
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA197

## Probable cause

An inadvertent collision with a bird during descent, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.

## 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: [Cessna 402C, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=207590R), [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.

- [Enroute-descent: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 402C, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=207590R), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that during descent, about 5nm from the destination airport, he saw a bird flying from his left to right side. The bird went into a dive and struck the vertical stabilizer. The pilot did not observe any flight anomalies and continued to the destination airport without incident. Subsequent examination revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N36911](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N36911), registered now, S/N 402C0314, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 402C
- Registry model: [Cessna 402C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402c) (registry code 207590R) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 402C0314
- Year built: 1980
- Airframe hours: 39363.9
- Engines: Continental TSIO520VB 325 horsepower reciprocating; Continental TSIO520VB 325 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Positioning, Part 91
- Operator: Hyannis Air Service, Inc.
- Registered owner: Hyannis Air Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, October 1, 2020, 53.5 hours before
- Departed: ACK, Nantucket, MA
- Destination: EWB, New Bedford, MA
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 6, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 19,000 total, 17,000 in this make and model, 18,000 as pilot in command, 85 in the last 90 days, 52 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,900 ft broken
- Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 29.67 inHg
- Observed at: EWB

## 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 20210422003969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210422003969A), Apr 22, 2021: Cessna 402C, New Bedford, MA, Substantial damage. While on approach to ewb at approximately 5NM from the field aircraft sustained a bird strike and landed safely. Only one flight crew on board with no…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103002. 5.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12251298&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_1-%20N36911_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 463 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12251132&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20N36911-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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