On July 14, 2000, an Ercoupe 415-C (registration N99236) was involved in an aviation accident near Stephenville, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The collision with a bird during cruise flight, which damaged six wing ribs on the right wing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A large bird struck the right wing during cruise, damaging six ribs. The pilot maintained control and landed safely despite altered flight characteristics.
What happened
The aircraft was operating in cruise flight when the right wing was struck by a large bird, identified by the pilot as a buzzard. The impact occurred on the top surface of the leading edge within the outboard section of the wing.
The collision resulted in significant structural damage to the airframe, specifically affecting six wing ribs. Despite the extent of the damage, the pilot reported that the aircraft's flight characteristics were noticeably altered. The pilot was able to maintain control of the airplane throughout the remainder of the flight and executed a landing without further incident.
The investigation
Post-acc examination confirmed the location and nature of the impact on the wing structure. The damage was localized to the outboard section, where six structural ribs were compromised by the bird strike.
Probable cause
The collision with a bird during cruise flight, which damaged six wing ribs on the right wing.