- Date
- October 11, 2021, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wheeler Heights, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N263MGPiper PA-28-181
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: 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
- 20211011022319A
- Case key
- 104311
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 with a bird while in the traffic pattern.
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 on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, a bird impacted the leading edge of the left wing, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing structure. The airplane was controllable and the pilot was able to land safely on the intended runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N263MG
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2881361
- Built
- 2020
- Airframe hours
- 767
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Middle Georgia State University
- Registered owner
- Georgia Aviation Authority
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 21, 2021
- Airport
- MAC · Macon Downtown, runway 10/28, 4,694 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 24, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 205 total · 130 in this make and model · 158 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- MCN, 9 nm away
- METAR
- KMCN 111553Z 06006KT 10SM CLR 24/19 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP163 T02440189
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 21, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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.