- Date
- February 4, 2016, 19:15 local (Feb 5, 2016, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Newport, RI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N102WMPiper PA31
- Defining event
- Approach-IFR final approach: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Boston FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20160204004329A
- Case key
- 92719
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 birds during final approach at night.
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 during night visual meteorological conditions, he struck multiple birds at an altitude of about 300 to 400 feet above ground on final approach. The pilot continued the approach and landed without further incident. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported during night visual meteorological conditions, he struck multiple birds at an altitude of about 300 to 400 feet above ground on final approach. The pilot continued the approach and landed without further incident. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N102WM
- Reported as
- Piper PA31 (350)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-8152112
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 5,638.9
- Engines
- Lycoming TIO-540-52BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming LTIO-540 52BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 3, 2015
- Departed
- FRG · Farmingdale, NY
- Destination
- UUU · Newport, RI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- UUU · Newport State, runway 04, 2,999 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 8, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,599 total · 1,847 in this make and model · 2,238 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KUUU, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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.