What happened
The pilot was conducting a test flight with the primary objective of verifying the operational status of the aircraft's landing gear system. During this phase of the flight, the pilot decided to perform a low approach over a grass strip located between the main runway and the maintenance building on the airport property.
As the aircraft flew over this grassy area, a flock of egrets suddenly took flight directly ahead of the airplane. In an effort to avoid colliding with the birds, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft but ultimately struck the ground. The impact caused damage to the propeller, forcing the pilot to execute an emergency landing in the runway overrun area situated on the east side of the airport property.
The investigation
Post-accident examination revealed that the propeller sustained significant damage during the incident. The sequence of events indicated that the collision with the terrain occurred while the pilot was attempting to evade the flock of birds during the low approach maneuver.