Primary finding
Probable cause
An in-flight collision with a large bird during the airplane's initial climb.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot stated that a large bird struck the nose of the airplane during its initial climb. The flight was about 1 mile north of the airport, 1,000 feet above ground level, at the time. The pilot elected to continue the approximately 20-minute flight to the intended destination, and the flight was completed without further incident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination revealed impact damage to the nosecone and underlying airframe support structure.
Source record
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that a large bird struck the nose of the airplane during initial climb after takeoff. The flight was about 1 mile north of the airport, 1,000 feet above ground level, at the time. The pilot elected to continue the approximate 20-minute flight to the intended destination, and the flight was completed without further incident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A post accident examination revealed impact damage to the nose cone and underlying airframe support structure.