No fatalities

Bird Avoidance Maneuver Leads to Runway Excursion and Substantial Damage

Shawno, WI, United States

On August 21, 2011, a CESSNA TU206G was involved in an aviation accident near Shawno, WI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of control on final approach, while maneuvering to avoid birds. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1785761257Data APIEditorial standards

On final approach, the pilot observed birds near the touchdown zone and attempted avoidance, resulting in a short landing and runway departure. The aircraft sustained substantial wing and fuselage damage. No pre-impact malfunctions were reported.

Incident Overview

During the final approach for landing, the pilot noticed birds flying low near the intended touchdown point on the runway. In an effort to avoid the birds, the aircraft touched down shorter than expected. After touchdown, the airplane departed the runway surface, coming to rest off the runway.

Aircraft Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane's wings and fuselage. The extent of the damage indicates significant structural impact.

Pilot Report

According to the pilot, there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident. The pilot's statement suggests that the sequence of events was initiated solely by the attempt to avoid the birds.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Response/compensation