Bird Strike Damages Right Horizontal Stabilizer (N74923)

Incident Description

While cruising at an altitude of 2,500 feet above mean sea level, the pilot felt a sudden shudder throughout the airplane. Upon visual inspection, he observed blood on the tip of the right horizontal stabilizer and concluded that the airplane had struck a bird. The pilot reported that he had not seen the bird prior to the impact. Notably, the airplane did not require any trim adjustments following the collision, and the pilot was able to maintain controlled flight without difficulty. He promptly returned the airplane to its departure point at Anchorage.

Damage Assessment

A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the airplane's right horizontal stabilizer. The damage was significant enough to necessitate replacement of the entire stabilizer assembly. No other damage to the airframe or systems was mentioned in the pilot's account.