- Date
- December 11, 2023, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Newport News, VA · Traffic pattern PHF
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N733QJCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: 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
- 20231211017339A
- Case key
- 193523
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 inflight 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 flight instructor and the pilot-rated student were in the flying in the airport traffic pattern practicing takeoffs and landings. During the initial climb following a touch-and-go landing, with the student at the controls, a large bird flew directly in front of the airplane. The student attempted to avoid it; however, the bird struck the leading edge of the left wing. The flight instructor took over the controls and landed the airplane uneventfully. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration examined the airplane and found that the wing had been substantially damaged as a result of the birdstrike.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733QJ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268463
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 9,499
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Rick Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Rick Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 3, 2023 · 63 hours before
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PHF · Newport News Williamsburg Intl, runway 25, 8,003 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Video recording device, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction 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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 9, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,115 total · 141 in this make and model · 1,847 as pilot in command · 108 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 31, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 731 total · 13 in this make and model · 44 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- PHF
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N733QJ · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.