NTSB CEN25LA362 — 2025-09-03 · New Braunfels, Texas, United States

Current FAA registration · N39HC

Make / Model: CESSNA 414
Engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-520 SER (300 hp)
Seats / Engines: 7 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date: 19731213
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A48122

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N39HC Cessna 414 None

Probable cause & findings

A in-flight collision with a bird during the descent for landing.

Factual narrative

The airplane was about 4 miles from the destination airport in a descent to land when the airplane struck a bird. The pilot landed the airplane without incident and substantial damage was found to the right wing. Remains from the birds were submitted to the Smithsonian Institute and were found to belong to a black vulture (coragyps atratus). The average weight of a black vulture is reported to be between 3.5 and 6.6 lbs. Data archived by birdcast.info, showed bird activity at the time of the accident was between medium and high. In addition, data from usahas.com, the U.S. Air Force avian hazard advisory system, showed that the bird strike risk was severe near the collision area. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Animal(s)/bird(s)-Ability to respond/compensate
— Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Animal(s)/bird(s)-Effect on equipment

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_CEN25LA362.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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