Incident
On 26 March 2014 at approximately 1250 UTC, a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, registration G-ODAZ, was flying at 1,000 ft in visual meteorological conditions near RAF Wittering, Peterborough. The helicopter struck a bird, identified by the pilot as a buzzard. The pilot reported not seeing the bird before the impact and was therefore unable to take avoiding action.
Aircraft and Pilot
The helicopter, manufactured in 2008 (serial number 12167), was powered by one Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 piston engine. The flight was private, with one crew member (the pilot) and one passenger on board. The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence, was 32 years old, and had 1,550 hours of total flying experience, including 220 hours on type. His recent flying experience included 25 hours in the last 90 days and 10 hours in the last 28 days.
Aftermath
The bird strike caused a broken windscreen transparency. The pilot performed a precautionary landing to inspect the helicopter. After confirming that the aircraft was safe to continue, he flew to his destination at White Waltham. Neither the pilot nor the passenger sustained any injuries.