- Date
- October 31, 2021, 17:54 local (21:54 UTC)
- Place
- Stevensville, MD
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3HQCessna 172
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- 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
- 20211031020819A
- Case key
- 104198
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 during initial climb.
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 instructor reported that during the initial climb, about 100 ft above ground level, he observed three birds on his left side, and he banked the airplane right. The trailing bird turned into the airplane, contacted the propeller, continued through the windshield, and struck the instructor in the face. After regaining control of the airplane, the instructor landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the windshield, and the instructor sustained minor injuries. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3HQ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17269154
- Built
- 1977
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Chesapeake Searey LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2021 · 27.7 hours before
- Departed
- W29 · Stevensville, MD
- Airport
- W29 · Bay Bridge, runway 29, 2,713 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- May 28, 2021
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,455 total · 3,125 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 55 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- NAK, 7 nm away
- METAR
- KNAK 312154Z AUTO 29008KT 10SM FEW050 18/09 A2979 RMK AO2 SLP089 T01780094 $
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 31, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.9 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.