No fatalities

Pilot Reports White Flash and Thump During Cruise Flight (N70364)

Holy Cross, United States of AmericaFlight

On May 6, 1993, a Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair (registration N70364) operated by MarkAir Express was involved in an aviation accident near Holy Cross, United States of America in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the pilot in command to maintain the proper altitude. The trees were a factor in the accident. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot experienced a white flash and thump during cruise flight, leading to an uncontrolled descent and yaw. No bird strike was found; trees were present at the accident site.

Accident Description

A pilot reported that while in cruise flight and looking at birds out the left side cockpit window, he observed peripherally a 'white flash' fill the right side of the forward windscreen, followed immediately by an audible 'thump'. The airplane began an uncontrollable descent and yaw to the right. The engine continued to run smoothly. Advancing the engine power controls had no noticeable effect on the pilot's ability to arrest the descent.

Investigation

The NTSB investigator in charge visited the accident site. No evidence was found of a bird strike. The accident site was surrounded by tall (white) birch trees. The pilot stated that he was not sure what he struck and that it could have been a tree.

Probable Cause

The probable cause of the accident was the failure of the pilot in command to maintain the proper altitude. The trees were a factor in the accident.