Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Indian Shores, Florida 34635
Friday, July 15, 1994 16:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO BE FLYING ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE THE WATER ALONG THE BEACH. A BYSTANDER VIDEOTAPED THE AIRPLANE AS WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LARGE BIRD COLLIDED WITH THE AIRPLANE IN THE WINDSHIELD AREA. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INVERTED AND IMPACTED THE WATER. THE VIDEOTAPE WAS COMPUTER ENHANCED BY THE SAFETY BOARD. TWO DISTINCT DARK OBJECTS APPEARED IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE JUST BEFORE THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP AND ROLLED INVERTED. ONE OF THE OBJECTS APPEARS TO STRIKE THE AIRPLANE. THE VIDEOTAPE SHOWS NUMEROUS PELICANS IN FLIGHT AND ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER PRIOR TO THE IMPACT. THE PILOT'S FACIAL INJURIES WERE CONSISTENT WITH A WINDSHIELD SHATTERING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A BIRD COLLISION, WHICH RESULTED IN PILOT INCAPACITATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City INDIAN SHORES
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34635
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID PIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 12
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 32
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1554
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:44AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2827V
NTSB Number MIA94FA179
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172XP
Aircraft Series Identifier 172XP
Aircraft Serial Number 2231
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 8 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 1786
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COSTELLO, SHIRLEY L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 360 AIRPORT DRIVE EAST
Aircraft Owner City VENICE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34285
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WHITE, DONALD A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4875 WINDWARD CIRCLE
Operator City COLORADO SPRING
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80917
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BKV
Departure City BROOKSVILLE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VNC
Destination City VENICE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --