Summary
On August 23, 2014, a Dehavilland DHC 6 TWIN OTTER (N202EH) was involved in an incident near Pepperell, MA. All 10 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: An inadvertent collision with a bird, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing.
While climbing through 2,500 feet after takeoff, the pilot observed a red-tailed hawk approaching the airplane from below. The hawk impacted the left wing, and the pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing. The airplane subsequently landed without incident. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA14CA419. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N202EH.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
An inadvertent collision with a bird, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
While climbing through 2,500 feet after takeoff, the pilot observed a red-tailed hawk approaching the airplane from below. The hawk impacted the left wing, and the pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing. The airplane subsequently landed without incident. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA14CA419