According to the student pilot, while flying en route to his home airport, the Cessna 172 sustained a bird strike to the right wing.
He reported that he checked the flight controls and engine performance, and made the decision to continue the flight to his destination in Upperville, Virginia.
He added that during the approach he noticed that it took an abnormal amount of left aileron to maintain level flight; however, he landed the airplane without further incident.
A subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar.
Probable cause: An inflight bird strike, which resulted in wing spar damage.
NTSB Identification: GAA15CA241
This June 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
The word ‘Dent’ in the title, should be ‘caved in’. From the pics,the upper skin was hit, pushing it flat to the lower skin.!! It was obviously a large bird that hit the wing.
Birds will dive when threatened, so pilots should make a climbing turn, away from them. Also, If they do hit the aircraft, they’re more likely to miss the windscreen and hit the belly or gear.
I’ve encountered many birds over the Sacramento valley. Fortunately , I’ve not hit one…..yet.!!
The pilot/Op report says “a large flock of birds” were above the aircraft. Both the birds and the aircraft were crossing a ridge line. The pilot reported that one of the birds peeled off from the flock and descended toward the aircraft. The strike location should have been visible inside the cockpit. Two photos in the Docket show the leading edge of a two – three foot section was crushed into the wing to a depth of about 4-5 inches just outboard of the wing strut. The photo showed a clean, straight break for an entire section, as though the rivets failed on both the upper and lower wing surface at the attachment point to the sheet metal of the wing. The break likely acted as a long air scoop. The pilot was very lucky. Significantly greater adverse yaw AND a weakened wing would have been serious considerations. The images of the damage are impressive.
There are many kinds of birds, from a few ounces to several pounds . If you have a bird strike and can see damage, particularly if you saw the eagle, duck or goose before the collision, prudence says land at the next airport with services and inspect the airplane with the aid of an A&P.
The strength of the airplane can be reduced to the poit of failure in a turn and with turbulence.
It worked out this time, but underv different conditions the wing could have failed.
Must have been a large bird to do that much damage. A slow flight check to include an approach configuration while at altitude would have been a better way to assess the effect of the bird strike on control.
I disagree. If the airplane is flying in current configuration YOU DO NOT CHANGE IT! Changing configuration could easily cause the aircraft to stop flying or become uncontrollable. Same goes with going into slow flight to check the airplane out after a bird strike. You make a precautionary landing and check the damage safely on the ground. Both AOPA and the FAA WINGS program have wonderful information you can find on this. Additionally VMC/IMC clubs go through scenarios like this in their meetings.