NTSB CEN10CA209 — 2010-04-19 · Muskegon, Michigan, United States

Current FAA registration · N969SH

Make / Model: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-5B
Year of manufacture: 1977 · 33 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-360-A1D (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19920822
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AD7F2D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N969SH True Flight Holdings LLC AA-5B None

Probable cause & findings

The inadvertent in-flight collision with a goose.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was in cruise at 2,500 feet above mean sea level and was flying with an airspeed of about 120 knots. He saw a goose pass from left to right just above the engine cowl. The airplane sustained substantial damage when the bird struck the right wing. He declared an emergency to an air traffic controller and diverted to an airport. He stated that the smell of fuel was present during the emergency landing and he landed without further incident. The pilot reported that he was in cruise flight at 2,500 feet above mean sea level and was flying with an airspeed of about 120 knots. He saw a goose pass from left to right just above the engine cowl. The airplane sustained substantial damage when the bird struck the right wing. He declared an emergency to an air traffic controller and diverted to an airport. He stated that the smell of fuel was present during the emergency landing and that he landed without further incident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Animal(s)/bird(s)-Effect on equipment - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_CEN10CA209.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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