- Date
- June 6, 2018, 05:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8646VBellanca 7ECA
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: 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
- 20180606007139A
- Case key
- 97511
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
The airplane’s collision with a bird while maneuvering.
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
According to the pilot, a bird struck the airplane's windscreen when he was practicing a steep turn. The airplane remained controllable, and he returned to the airport and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the windscreen, windows, and skylight. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector revealed that the skylight had been installed incorrectly. 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 pilot, a bird struck the airplane's windscreen when he was practicing a steep turn. The airplane remained controllable, and he returned to the airport and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the windscreen, windows and greenhouse. A post-accident examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration, Aviation Safety Inspectors revealed that the greenhouse had been installed incorrectly. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8646V
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7ECA (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1089-75
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 2,780.17
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- ProFlite of Alaska, LLC
- Registered owner
- Trainor, Thomas P.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 2018
- Departed
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Equipment
- None
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
- 29
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Military, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- May 30, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,546.3 total · 5 in this make and model · 1,020 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.56 inHg
- Observed at
- PAFA
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.