# NTSB MIA04CA010: Cessna 152, N94445, Pierson, FL, October 22, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 22, 2003, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Pierson, FL - Coordinates: 29.230581, -81.459403 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2306&lon=-81.4594&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 58267 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA04CA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58267/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA04CA010 ## Probable cause In flight collision with a bird, resulting in airplane not being able to maintain altitude and nosing over during a forced landing on unsuitable terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, maneuvering - object - bird(s) (cause) - aircraft performance - deteriorated - altitude - not possible, pilot in command(cfi) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) ## Analysis A student pilot was practicing ground maneuvers near Lake Disston, located near Pierson, Florida, while coming out of a left turn at 1,000 feet and an indicated airspeed of 90 knots the airplane experienced a bird strike. The CFI stated the windshield was missing and he could not maintain altitude after he applied full throttle. He declared an emergency and secured the engine. The airplane impacted the intended landing field nose first and came to a halt inverted. A representative from the Smithsonian Institution identified the bird as a Black Vulture, which has a weight range between 42 and 75 ounces. ## Factual narrative On October 22, 2003, about 1130 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N94445, registered to Daytona Aircraft Leasing Inc., and operated by Phoenix East Aviation Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, experienced a bird strike, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing near Lake Disston, Pierson, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial-rated pilot/certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot both reported minor injuries. The flight had departed from Daytona Beach, Florida, the same day at 1030. According to the FAA inspector at the scene, the airplane was found inverted, a quarter of the windshield was recovered, the nose and main landing gears were broken, the vertical stabilizer and bottom of fuselage were found buckled. A bird was found in the airplane. A feather was retained for identification of the bird. The CFI stated that the student was practicing ground reference maneuvers and at about 1130, at 1,000 feet at an indicated airspeed of 90 knots while coming out of a left turn, a "sudden loud noise followed by debris was felt in the cockpit." The CFI stated the airplane was missing the windshield and he could not maintain altitude after applying full throttle. The pilot declared an emergency and secured the engine. The airplane impacted a field nose first and came to a halt inverted. Dr. Carla Dove of the Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC, identified the feather to have belonged to a Black Vulture, which has a weight range between 42 and 75 ounces. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N94445](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94445-2012-02-13), registration cancelled 2012-02-13, S/N 15285671, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15285671 - Airframe hours: 11918.2 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-N2C 112 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Phoenix East Aviation Inc. - Registered owner: Daytona Aircraft Leasing INC. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, August 27, 2003, 49.1 hours before - Departed: KDAB, Daytona Beach, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 22; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; last flight review December 30, 2002; seat: rear; flight hours: 571 total, 183 in this make and model, 515 as pilot in command, 127 in the last 90 days, 59 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 21; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 1; seat: left; flight hours: 51 total, 51 in this make and model, 51 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031022032449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031022032449A), Oct 22, 2003: Cessna 152, Pierson, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) The flight instructor and his student were practicing ground reference maneuvers at approximately 1000' AGL, 3 miles northeast of lake diston, near… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.