Primary finding
Probable cause
An in-flight collision with a bird while descending to land at an airport.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The flight instructor reported that while returning to the airport from a lesson, both he and the student saw a medium-sized bird at their 12 o’clock position. The airplane was descending through 1,400 feet mean sea level when the bird dove into their flight path, impacting the left wing’s leading edge. The student continued to the airport as the pilot flying and landed without further incident. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left wing had been substantially damaged.