- Date
- September 21, 2021, 15:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- Unadilla, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N442HGPiper PA-44-180
- Defining event
- Enroute: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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
- FAA report
- 20210921014579A
- Case key
- 103942
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 airplane's impact by a bird during the enroute portion of the flight.
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
The pilot reported that while enroute to his destination, about 2,400 ft mean sea level, he maneuvered to avoid a flock of birds; however, a bird contacted the left wing. He declared an emergency and landed the airplane at the nearest suitable airport without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N442HG
- Reported as
- Piper PA-44-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4496056
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 4,298.9
- Engines
- Lycoming LO-360-A1H6, 180 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming O-360-A1H6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Georgia Aviation Authority
- Registered owner
- Georgia Aviation Authority
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2021 · 26.8 hours before
- Departed
- TLH · Tallahassee, FL
- Destination
- MAC · Macon, GA
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display
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
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 13, 2021
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 950 total · 44 in this make and model · 895 as pilot in command · 214 in the last 90 days · 86 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 21, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 660 total · 12 in this make and model · 609 as pilot in command · 173 in the last 90 days · 61 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 3 knots
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Icing
- Unknown
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- ACJ, 24 nm away
- METAR
- KACJ 211935Z AUTO 20003KT SCT120 30/22 A3003 RMK AO2 PWINO
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 8, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.