PIPER PA-31-350
Casper, WY — June 30, 2011
Event Information
| Date | June 30, 2011 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | WPR11CA299 |
| Event ID | 20110630X70006 |
| Location | Casper, WY |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 42.89855, -106.46544 |
| Airport | Casper/Natrona County |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | PIPER |
| Model | PA-31-350 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 135 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAWN |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
An in-flight collision with a bird at low altitude.
Full Narrative
The pilot stated he was landing on runway 21 and was approximately 5 to 10 feet from touchdown when a large bird hit and broke the front center windshield of his airplane. With the bird covering his entire windscreen the pilot reacted by quickly moving his body to the right to avoid the bird, which had penetrated the windscreen. Subsequently the airplane's left wing came into contact with the runway surface causing the airplane to nose into the ground, severely damaging the left wing, collapsing the left landing gear, and bending both propellers. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.