What happened
On 3 July 2010, a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, registration G-AVLJ, was performing a private flight at Jersey Airport in the Channel Islands. While the aircraft was on final approach and had been cleared for a normal landing, a seagull entered the flight path from behind the aircraft. The bird struck the left windscreen with enough force to cause the glass to shatter. Following the impact, fragments of the bird entered the cockpit, striking the pilot and dislodging his headset. The pilot subsequently notified Air Traffic Control of the incident and taxied the aircraft to its designated parking area. The pilot sustained minor injuries and received first aid on the ground.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the impact and the subsequent damage to the aircraft's cockpit area. The inspection confirmed that the impact of the bird was the direct cause of the windscreen failure and the subsequent entry of debris into the cockpit.