- Date
- April 4, 2009, 16:05 local (23:05 UTC)
- Place
- Snohomish, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4915FCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 73606
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 crow.
Findings · 4
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 student pilot was returning from the practice area on a supervised solo. He was on the downwind leg for landing at 1,500 feet when he saw a crow rising from below on the airplane's left side. He heard a large thud and felt the airplane buffet. The student pilot looked to verify that no other airplanes were in the vicinity. He checked the elevator and rudder visually and by "crabbing" the airplane using the rudder and adding power; he determined that the airplane was controllable and could be landed safely. Three outboard ribs of the left wing and the spar sustained substantial damage; the top and bottom skins were wrinkled from the leading edge to the spar.
Factual narrative
The student pilot was returning from the practice area on a supervised solo. He was on the downwind leg for landing at 1,500 feet when he saw a crow rising from below on the airplane's left side. He heard a large thud, and felt the airplane buffet. The student pilot looked to verify that no other airplanes were in the vicinity, and checked the elevator and rudder visually. He verified that by crabbing the airplane using the rudder and adding power, the airplane was controllable, and could be landed safely. Three outboard ribs of the left wing and the spar sustained substantial damage; the top and bottom skins were wrinkled from the leading edge to the spar.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4915F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S7565
- Airframe hours
- 2,021
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Snohomish Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Snohomish Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 16, 2009 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- S43 · Snohomish, WA
- Destination
- S43 · Snohomish, WA
- Airport
- S43 · Harvey Field
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 34 total · 34 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KPAE, 5 nm away
Other investigations on N4915F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.