What happened
On March 12, 2012, a flight instructor and a student pilot were conducting an instructional flight in a Diamond DA42, registration N915ER. While cruising at 1,600 feet, the crew observed three climbing buzzards positioned ahead, below, and to the right of the aircraft.
To avoid the birds, the pilots disconnected the autopilot and initiated a climbing left turn. While the maneuver successfully avoided two of the birds, one bird suddenly changed direction and struck the right wing. The impact caused substantial damage to the wing's composite structure. Following the encounter, the pilots notified air traffic control and completed a landing at a nearby airport without further incident.
Flight conditions
The weather during the event was characterized by Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) with a visibility of 10 statute miles and winds from 090 degrees at 12 knots.