What happened
A private pilot, accompanied by a flight instructor and a passenger, was conducting a local area instructional flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 regulations. The flight was part of a transition training program intended to familiarize the pilot/owner with a new, high performance airplane.
While the pilot was performing maneuvers in simulated instrument conditions, the left wing of the aircraft was struck by a large bird. The impact caused structural damage to the wing and ruptured the left wing fuel tank, leading to a fuel leak. Following the collision, the crew performed an emergency landing at the airport from which they had originally departed. All occupants were not injured.
Findings
The investigation determined that the bird strike resulted in both structural damage to the aircraft's left wing and a subsequent rupture of the fuel tank.