Bird Strike Damages Windscreen During Night Cross-Country Flight

Incident Overview

A flight instructor reported that during an instructional night cross-country flight, while the airplane was in level flight at approximately 3,500 feet, a bird struck the aircraft and penetrated the windscreen. The instructor subsequently returned the airplane to the airport without further incident.

Postaccident Examination

A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the windscreen had sustained substantial damage. The extent of the damage was limited to the windscreen, and no other structural damage was noted.

Mechanical Condition

The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The aircraft was otherwise functioning as expected before and after the bird strike.