- Date
- March 13, 2018, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Punta Gorda, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N989GAeropro CZ Eurofox LSA
- Defining event
- Enroute: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 10, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180313002469I
- Case key
- 96867
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
A collision with a large bird during approach.
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 pilot reported that, during the approach to land, a turkey vulture impacted the airplane's front windshield. After the impact, he declared an emergency and landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the front windshield. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during the approach to land a "turkey vulture (bird)", impacted the airplane's front windshield. After the impact, an emergency was declared, and the airplane landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the front windshield. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N989G
- Reported as
- Aeropro CZ Eurofox LSA (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22407
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 2,687
- Engine
- Rotax 912UL, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 12, 2018
- Departed
- PGD · Punta Gorda, FL
- Destination
- PGD · Punta Gorda, FL
- Airport
- PGD · Punta Gorda, runway 04, 7,193 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 18, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,069.3 total · 2,695 in this make and model · 3,953.1 as pilot in command · 53.2 in the last 90 days · 18.2 in the last 30 days · 1.2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- PGD, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 1, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.