On August 28, 1999, a Maule M-7 (registration N770AS) operated by Arctic Air Guide Flying Svc. was involved in an aviation accident near Kotzebue, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An in-flight collision with a bird. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot flying low over a lake collided with a large bird, resulting in damage to the wing tip and aileron upon landing.
What happened
The airline transport certificated pilot was conducting a cross-country positioning flight when the decision was made to fly approximately 200 feet above ground level (agl) directly over a small lake. During this low-altitude maneuver, a large brown bird struck the left wing tip of the aircraft. Following the landing, the pilot inspected the airplane and discovered that the wing tip faring had been completely detached. The impact caused visible damage to the outboard end of the wing as well as the left aileron.
The investigation
Post-flight inspection confirmed the physical damage sustained during the bird strike. The primary mechanical findings included the loss of the wing tip faring and structural damage to the outboard wing section and the left aileron control surface.
Findings
The collision with wildlife occurred during an intentional low-altitude flight phase over terrain features. The specific contributing factor was the impact with a large brown bird, which resulted in the loss of aerodynamic fairing and damage to primary flight control surfaces.