Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Gillespie Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
El Cajon, California 92020
Saturday, March 13, 2010 14:30 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student performed a series of takeoffs and landings at the airport. The airplane's anti-collision light was operating. Clouds were located about 2,800 feet above ground level and the visibility was 25 miles. There was light turbulence in the area. While in the downwind leg for their fourth landing, the air traffic controller requested that the pilot fly an extended downwind leg. The CFI stated that "shortly thereafter, we noticed a red-tail hawk slightly ahead and at our same altitude. Upon sighting the bird, I immediately took control from my student and initiated a climbing turn to the left. A few seconds later we heard a loud impact on our right wing tip. I immediately looked out the window and noticed the wing had extensive damage." The CFI reported that she immediately landed, and during the approach she did not detect any noticeable effect on the airplane's performance. A 3-foot-long by 8-inch-deep area of the right wing's leading edge was crushed aft, and the internal wing structure was bent. No residue from the bird was found.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
An in-flight collision with a bird in the downwind leg of the airport's traffic pattern.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/13/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | El Cajon |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92020 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 324934N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1165821W |
| Event Location Airport | Gillespie Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SEE |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 388 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 1400 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SEE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 388 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26805 |
| NTSB Notification Source | WP FAA Comm Ctr. |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 12 2010 5:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8441B |
| NTSB Number | WPR10CA157 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-161 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8216005 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2325 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 19 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 41 |
| Airframe Hours | 2360 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | VOLAR CORP |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1640 N JOHNSON AVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | EL CAJON |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92020-1239 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Golden State Flying Club |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 1640 N JOHNSON AVE |
| Operator City | EL CAJON |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 92020-1239 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SEE |
| Departure City | El Cajon |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | SEE |
| Destination City | El Cajon |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 12 2010 4:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27L |
| Runway Length | 2738 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |