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ERA23LA303

2023-06-24 · Macon, Georgia, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MAC

Current FAA registration · N285MG

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28R-201
Year of manufacture
2017 · 6 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING IO-360-C1C6 (200 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20170216
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A2E1A8

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

An inflight collision with a bird.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot receiving instruction, he had initiated the upwind-to-crosswind turn in the airport traffic pattern. With the left wing raised in the right turn, a bird came into the pilot’s view and struck the left wing before the pilot could initiate an evasive maneuver. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane, completed the traffic pattern and the landing without injury to the occupants or damage beyond that resulting from the bird strike. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing was substantially damaged. 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)-Effect on equipment

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_ERA23LA303.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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