Incident Overview
On the morning of 14 January 2005, a Cessna 172N, registration CS-ASU, operated by Escola de Aviação Aerocondor, departed from Cascais Municipal Aerodrome (Tires) for a navigation training flight to Faro Airport. The aircraft carried a student pilot and an instructor pilot. The flight was part of the student's pilot course syllabus, focusing on visual navigation.
Flight Details
Upon approaching Faro Airport, the pilot requested permission to perform a low pass over runway 10 without landing, intending to then return to Tires. The request was granted. During the approach at an altitude of approximately 50 feet above the runway threshold, the crew felt a strong impact on the aircraft's front. The windshield fractured, and debris entered the cockpit.
Aftermath and Investigation
The instructor immediately took control and performed an emergency landing at Faro Airport. After taxiing to parking, the crew assessed the situation while airport services inspected the runway. It was determined that the aircraft had struck a pigeon, which was found dead on the runway. The windshield was destroyed, but no other damage to the aircraft occurred. Both crew members were uninjured, and no third-party damage was reported.
Cause
The incident was caused by the in-flight collision of the aircraft with a bird.