Accident Overview
On July 25, 2018, at around 11:33 JST, a Cessna 172R (registration JA10AZ) operated by Okayama Air Service Co., Ltd. collided with a bird during approach to Kohnan Aerodrome in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. The aircraft was on a training flight with a pilot-in-command (PIC) and two student pilots on board; there were no casualties.
Flight Details
The aircraft had taken off from the aerodrome for training. The PIC occupied the right pilot seat as flight instructor, while student pilot A flew from the left seat. During a power-off accuracy approach—a maneuver simulating engine failure by gliding with the engine idling—the aircraft was making a right turn from downwind to final approach to Runway 09. Suddenly, a bird emerged from the left below in the direction of travel and struck the leading edge of the right wing. At the time, the aircraft's airspeed was 60 to 65 kt, and its altitude was about 450 ft. The PIC took control, suspended training, and landed safely at the aerodrome.
Aircraft Damage
Inspection at the parking spot revealed a dent on the leading edge of the right wing, measuring approximately 20 cm longitudinally, 35 cm wide, and 1.3 cm deep. The damage was classified as substantial. No abnormalities in the control or engine systems were noted before or after the accident.
Bird Information
The bird remained stuck to the wing after the collision and fell onto the runway after landing. The aerodrome administrator recovered the body of a brown Milvus migrans (black kite) measuring about 30 cm in length. No birds had been observed during pre-flight runway inspections.
Probable Cause
The Japan Transport Safety Board determined that the accident occurred because the aircraft collided with a bird while making a right turn to the aerodrome during the power-off accuracy approach training, resulting in damage to the aircraft.