N2430A – Cessna T206H – 2006-09-06 NTSB Accident Report

On September 06, 2006, a Cessna T206H (N2430A) was involved in an incident near Cedar Rapids, IA. All 3 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: An in-flight collision with a bird during climb to cruise altitude.

The pilot stated that the flight was climbing through 3,000 feet mean sea level to the assigned cruise altitude. He reported that a bird appeared from below the airplane's nose. He reportedly "banked right to try and avoid contact." Unfortunately he was not successful and the bird struck the left wing. The pilot stated: "The damage caused the airplane to be difficult to control, so I declared [an] emergency and returned [to the departure airport]." He subsequently landed without further incident.

The post accident inspection revealed leading edge crushing of the left wing, aft to the forward spar, between the wing strut and the landing light assembly.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CHI06CA276. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N2430A.