What happened
During the takeoff phase from Point Mugu NAS, the aircraft encountered a flock of pelicans. This mid-air collision occurred shortly after the plane had departed the runway. Following the impact with the birds, the crew initiated an emergency descent to perform a landing.
- Location: Point Mugu NAS
- Flight Phase: Post-liftoff/Climb
- Event: Bird strike involving pelicans
- Outcome: Belly landing
As a result of the emergency procedure, the aircraft performed a belly landing and eventually came to a stop. While the impact caused the aircraft to be damaged beyond repair, there were no injuries reported among the three crew members involved in the flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the emergency landing was the collision with a flock of pelicans immediately following liftoff.