On May 22, 2000, a Cessna 402C (registration N402ET) operated by Arctic Circle Air Service Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Cordova, 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; 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During landing in low visibility, a cargo flight's cockpit windshield was penetrated by a Canada goose, which remained stuck in the broken plastic. The pilot landed without further difficulty.
Incident Details
An airline transport certificated pilot was landing a cargo flight at the conclusion of a routine trip. The weather conditions included visibility of about 2 miles in light rain and mist. As the airplane descended to approximately 50 feet above the ground at a speed of 100 knots, the pilot observed three Canada geese flying up from the runway area. One of the geese struck the right side of the cockpit windshield, breaking the plastic windshield material. The bird became caught on fragments of the broken windshield and remained there.
Damage and Outcome
The pilot continued the landing without any additional difficulties. Following the touchdown, an inspection revealed that the windshield had been penetrated and required replacement. No other damage or issues were reported.