- Date
- July 10, 2024, 10:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place
- Cochran, GA · On downwind abeam the numbers for runway 29
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N268MGPiper PA28
- 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
- 20240710021609A
- Case key
- 194715
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 resulting in substantial damage to the right wing.
Findings · 1
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 reported that while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern he saw two large birds. He stated “birds” to his student, took the controls, and attempted to avoid the birds. One of the birds impacted the leading edge of the right wing resulting in substantial damage. The flight instructor subsequently landed the airplane without further incident. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N268MG
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (181)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2881366
- Built
- 2020
- Airframe hours
- 3,075
- 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 · July 3, 2024 · 15 hours before
- Airport
- 48A · Cochran, runway 29, 4,400 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Satellite tracking device
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 12, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,048.1 total · 1,172.8 in this make and model · 1,940.8 as pilot in command · 74.5 in the last 90 days · 18.6 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 5, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 326.6 total · 267.8 in this make and model · 271.9 as pilot in command · 8.5 in the last 90 days · 2.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- EZM, 13 nm away
- METAR
- KEZM 101455Z AUTO 28005KT 10SM SCT026 29/23 A3001 RMK AO2
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 4, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.