ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 186618
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| Date: | Wednesday 20 April 2016 |
| Time: | 09:00 |
| Type: |  Cessna 172P Skyhawk |
| Owner/operator: | 70 North LLC |
| Registration: | N63541 |
| MSN: | 17275449 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1981 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Birchwood Airport (PABV), Birchwood, AK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Birchwood Airport, AK (BCV) |
| Birchwood Airport, AK (BCV) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The purpose of the flight was to conduct low-level aerial surveying and photography. A review of Federal Aviation Administration air traffic radar data revealed that the airplane departed the airport in a southerly direction before turning west and then conducted two 360° turns. The airplane then proceeded northeast of the airport for about 4 miles before turning toward the southwest, overflying the intended photography area and continuing past Beach Lake. The airplane then turned east for about 2 miles before the radar track terminated. The airplane was found in a densely wooded area, and a postcrash fire ensued, which consumed a majority of the fuselage.
Examination of the wreckage revealed upward and aft crushing of the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer, and no scratching or gouging was found, consistent with an in-flight impact with a soft-bodied object. An examination of a complete feather found near the first pieces of debris and samples of organic material that contained several microscopic feather barbs and barbules taken from the left side of the airplane's fuselage and the tail section revealed that they were consistent with that of a Bald Eagle. Given this evidence, it is likely that the airplane impacted one or more eagles in flight and that the pilot subsequently lost airplane control.
Probable Cause: The in-flight collision with one or more large birds (Bald Eagle), which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=63541
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 7 February 1991 | N63541 | 0 | Anchorage, AK | |
sub | |
| 4 July 2003 | N63541 | Take Flight Alaska, Inc. | 0 | Seldovia, Alaska | |
sub |
Location
Images:
Photo(c): NTSB
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Apr-2016 20:40 | Geno | Added |
| 21-Apr-2016 05:26 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Departure airport, Source] |
| 21-Apr-2016 08:00 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 04-May-2016 19:44 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:30 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 27-Jun-2017 15:16 | PiperOnslaught | Updated [Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Aug-2017 16:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 06-Mar-2022 19:27 | Captain Adam | Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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