- Date
- August 28, 2010, 15:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Duvall, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4579HPiper PA-15
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100828045959A
- Case key
- 77114
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 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
The pilot reported that following departure he proceeded to practice maneuvers in the local area. According to the pilot no mechanical malfunctions occurred during flight. After flying about 45 minutes and during a turn, a brown bird suddenly appeared in the upper right corner of the windshield and collided with the airplane. A portion of the windshield broke out and the pilot lost partial control. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and he made a forced landing in an open field. During rollout on uneven terrain the landing gear separated from the fuselage.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that prior to taking off for a personal flight he added 6 gallons of fuel to the airplane. This was adequate for several hours of flying. Thereafter, he proceeded to practice maneuvers in the local area. According to the pilot, no mechanical malfunctions occurred during flight. After flying about 45 minutes and during a turn, a brown bird suddenly appeared in the upper right corner of the windshield. It collided with the airplane. A portion of the windshield broke out, and the pilot lost partial control. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and he made a forced landing in an open field. During rollout on uneven terrain the landing gear separated from the fuselage, which was bent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4579H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-15
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15-353
- Airframe hours
- 1,590
- Engine
- Lycoming O-145B SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Petersen Rodger E
- Registered owner
- Petersen Rodger E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 16, 2010 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- 1WA6 · Fall City, WA
- Destination
- 1WA6 · Fall City, WA
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
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 29, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 332 total · 79 in this make and model · 334 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 281 KB 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.