Summary
On August 28, 2010, a Piper PA-15 (N4579H) was involved in an accident near Duvall, WA. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: An in-flight collision with a bird while maneuvering.
The pilot reported that prior to taking off for a personal flight he added 6 gallons of fuel to the airplane. This was adequate for several hours of flying. Thereafter, he proceeded to practice maneuvers in the local area. According to the pilot, no mechanical malfunctions occurred during flight. After flying about 45 minutes and during a turn, a brown bird suddenly appeared in the upper right corner of the windshield. It collided with the airplane. A portion of the windshield broke out, and the pilot lost partial control. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and he made a forced landing in an open field. During rollout on uneven terrain the landing gear separated from the fuselage, which was bent.
This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR10CA434. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N4579H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
An in-flight collision with a bird while maneuvering.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that prior to taking off for a personal flight he added 6 gallons of fuel to the airplane. This was adequate for several hours of flying. Thereafter, he proceeded to practice maneuvers in the local area. According to the pilot, no mechanical malfunctions occurred during flight. After flying about 45 minutes and during a turn, a brown bird suddenly appeared in the upper right corner of the windshield. It collided with the airplane. A portion of the windshield broke out, and the pilot lost partial control. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and he made a forced landing in an open field. During rollout on uneven terrain the landing gear separated from the fuselage, which was bent.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR10CA434