- Date
- November 6, 2015, 15:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Monroeville, AL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N525DYCessna 525
- Defining event
- Enroute-climb to cruise: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20151106021819A
- Case key
- 92443
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 inadvertent collision with a bird during takeoff enroute climb, which resulted 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 pilot reported that while climbing through 3000 feet mean sea level (MSL), a flock of birds was seen immediately in front of the airplane. The pilot reported that about 1 second after seeing the flock of birds, a single bird impacted the leading edge of the right wing. The pilot returned to the departure airfield and landed without further incident. A post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while climbing through 3000 feet mean sea level (MSL), a flock of birds was seen immediately in front of the airplane. The pilot reported that about 1 second after seeing the flock of birds, a single bird impacted the leading edge of the right wing. The pilot returned to the departure airfield and landed without further incident. A post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N525DY
- Reported as
- Cessna 525 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 306
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 3,100
- Engines
- Williams FJ-44-1A, 1,900 lbs thrust, turbo fanWilliams FJ-44-1A, 1,900 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Execuflight LLC.
- Registered owner
- Execuflight LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MVC · Monroeville, AL
- Destination
- ALX · Alexander City, AL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MVC · Monroe County, runway 21, 6,028 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Onboard weather
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 20, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 1,400 in this make and model · 7,500 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 20, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 1,400 in this make and model · 1,000 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- KGZH, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.