- Date
- June 9, 2018, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Danbury, CT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N383MECessna 172
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180609007439A
- Case key
- 97472
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 bird during initial climb.
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
According to the flight instructor, a bird struck the airplane during initial climb. He and his student returned to the airport and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing's ribs. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor, a bird struck the airplane during takeoff, initial climb. He and his student returned to the airport and landed without further complication. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing's ribs. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N383ME
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8567
- Built
- 2000
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Parlu Ventures LLC.
- Registered owner
- Parlu Ventures LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DXR · Danbury, CT
- Destination
- DXR · Danbury, CT
- Airport
- DXR · Danbury Muni
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Onboard weather
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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 1,280 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 22, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KDXR
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 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.