- Date
- February 2, 2025, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ramona, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5268KCessna 172P
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20250202000639A
- Case key
- 199642
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 in the airport traffic pattern.
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 while during a crosswind turn in the airport traffic pattern, about 2,000 ft mean sea level, a bird struck the airplane. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5268K
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274038
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 6,936.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 22, 2024
- Departed
- L08 · Borrego Springs, CA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- RNM · Ramona Airport, runway 27, 5,001 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Military
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Powered-lift, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 15, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,050 total · 51 in this make and model · 458 as pilot in command
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Military
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Powered-lift
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 16, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 34 in this make and model · 25 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KRNM
- METAR
- KRNM 022053Z 31005KT 10SM CLR 26/08 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP169 T02610078 58023
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.
Other investigations on N5268K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.