- Date
- August 1, 2018, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wilmington, NC
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N557APBeech B300
- Defining event
- Enroute: 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
- 20180801009559A
- Case key
- 98017
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 during approach.
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 he began the initial approach at the destination airport, about 1,800 to 2,000 ft mean sea level, and the airplane encountered a "widespread circling group of what appeared to be turkey vultures." The right wing struck a bird, and the airplane landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. 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, he began the initial approach at the destination airport, about 1,800 to 2,000 ft mean sea level, and the airplane encountered a "widespread circling group of what appeared to be turkey vultures". The right wing struck a bird, and the airplane landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N557AP
- Reported as
- Beech B300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- FL-879
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 1,256
- Engines
- P&W Canada PT6A-60A, 1,050 horsepower, turbo propP&W Canada PT6A-60A, 1,050 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Atlantic Transportation Of Wilmington Ll
- Registered owner
- Atlantic Transportation Of Wilmington Ll
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Commuter
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 9, 2018
- Departed
- UZA · Rock Hill, SC
- Destination
- ILM · Wilmington, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 6, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 5,400 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 4,600 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 11, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,700 total · 330 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KILM, 3 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 31, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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.