No fatalities

1 Feb 2009: SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT CORP G-164B — DONS AIR SERVICE INC — Ferriday, LA

Ferriday, LA, United States

On 1 Feb 2009, a SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT CORP G-164B operated by DONS AIR SERVICE INC was involved in an aviation accident near Ferriday, LA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot lost control of the aircraft following an impact with birds. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A bi-wing aircraft experienced a loss of control and subsequent runway excursion after striking a flock of birds during its final approach.

What happened

On February 1, 2009, a Schweizer G-164B was on short final approach when it struck a flock of birds. During the impact, bird residue entered the cockpit through the windscreen and struck the pilot in the face. The incident caused the pilot to be temporarily blinded. In response, the pilot attempted to execute a go-around maneuver. During this attempt, the aircraft N3628T impacted the runway, nosed over, and ended up in an inverted position. There were no injuries resulting from the accident.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the impact with the birds and the subsequent structural damage to the aircraft's fuselage.

Probable cause

The pilot lost control of the aircraft following an impact with birds.

Contributing factors

Causes

Effect on personnel

Other contributing factors

Performance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained