No fatalities

Bird Strike Leads to Off-Airport Landing and Substantial Wing Damage

Northway, AK, United States

On September 6, 2018, a CUB CRAFTERS INC CC18 180 operated by National Park Service was involved in an aviation accident near Northway, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The airplane’s collision with a bird during straight-and-level flight. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that during straight and level flight, a large bird struck the right wing, causing degraded control. The pilot performed an off-airport landing; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that while flying in straight and level flight, a large bird struck the right wing of the airplane. Following the impact, the airplane's control became degraded. The pilot subsequently selected an off-airport landing site and landed without further incident.

Damage Assessment

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing as a result of the bird strike. No other damage was reported.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The event was solely attributed to the bird strike.

Contributing factors

Effect on operation