- Date
- February 6, 2026, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Thomson, GA · Traffic Pattern
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N322MCCirrus Design SR22T
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 7, 2026
- 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
- 20260206004019A
- Case key
- 202422
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 while maneuvering.
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 private pilot stated that while he and the flight instructor were being provided with radar vectors from air traffic control for an instrument approach, a turkey buzzard appeared in front of the airplane but there was no time to take evasive action. The bird crossed from left to right and impacted the airplane’s right-side windshield and roof structure resulting in substantial damage. The pilot and the flight instructor returned to the airport and landed uneventfully.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N322MC
- Reported as
- Cirrus Design SR22T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8714
- Built
- 2022
- Airframe hours
- 648
- Engine
- Continental TSIO550K2B, 315 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 10, 2025
- Airport
- HQU · Thomson/McDuffie County Airport
- Equipment
- Airframe parachute, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- February 6, 2026
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,050 total · 751 in this make and model · 914 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 7, 2025
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 9,952 total · 3,106 in this make and model · 9,602 as pilot in command · 134 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KHQU, 1 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KHQU 061555Z AUTO 25008KT 10SM CLR 08/M01 A2994 RMK AO2
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.