- Date
- December 3, 2021, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Midland, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2100SCessna 172S
- 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 Washington FSDO
- FAA report
- 20211203019219A
- Case key
- 104375
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
Collision with a bird in flight, which resulted in damage to the right-wing leading-edge spar.
Findings · 3
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 flight instructor stated that they were performing some touch-and-go landings at the local airport. They were on a left crosswind turning to a left downwind when they noticed 4-5 large birds circling and moving from left to right. He stated that he believed the left turn they were in would avoid the birds; however, one of the birds impacted the leading edge of the right wing. The flight characteristics and handling seemed unchanged, so they continued to fly the normal flight pattern and performed a normal landing. The bird strike resulted in substantial damage to the right-wing leading-edge spar.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2100S
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9589
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 7,044
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Aviation Adventures
- Registered owner
- Bietsch Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 17, 2021 · 18 hours before
- Airport
- HWY · Warrenton-Fauquier, runway 33, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 15, 2021
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 405 total · 393 in this make and model · 365 as pilot in command · 95 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 66 total · 66 in this make and model · 27 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KHWY
- METAR
- KHWY 031615Z AUTO 27004KT 10SM OVC100 14/M04 A3005 RMK AO2 T01431045
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.