- Date
- February 7, 2008, 20:45 local (Feb 8, 2008, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Mesa, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N577SPCessna 172SP
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080207011049A
- Case key
- 67510
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
an in-flight collision with a bird.
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
During cruise flight at an altitude of 3,500 feet above ground level (agl), a bird impacted the leading edge of the right wing, inboard of the wing lift strut attach point. The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated he did not see the bird until just before it impacted the wing. The CFI evaluated the damage in-flight and decided to continue the flight to his intended destination and landed without further incident. Examination of the right wing revealed the leading edge was crushed aft and two internal wing ribs were damaged.
Factual narrative
During cruise flight at an altitude of 3,500 feet above ground level (agl), a bird impacted the leading edge of the right wing, inboard of the wing lift strut attach point. The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated he did not see the bird until just before it impacted the wing. The CFI evaluated the damage in-flight and decided to continue the flight to his intended destination and landed without further incident. Examination of the right wing revealed the leading edge was crushed aft and two internal wing ribs were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N577SP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172SP
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8503
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- National Pilot Academy
- Registered owner
- Christiansen Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KFFZ · Mesa, AZ
- Destination
- KRYN · Tucson, AZ
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
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 642 total · 296 in this make and model · 311 as pilot in command · 77 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 48 total · 41 in this make and model · 6 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KIWA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.