Bird Strike near Show Low, AZ Injures Pilot and Damages Aircraft

On 4 November 2009, an Ameriflight Beech C-99 aircraft (N330AV) was cruising at about 11,000 feet in the vicinity of Show Low, AZ when one or more birds struck the aircraft and penetrated the windscreen. The pilot, who was the lone occupant of the cargo aircraft, sustained minor injuries to his face and shoulder and was able to land the aircraft without further incident at Show Low, AZ. The blood in the accompanying photos is from the bird.










Photos by Mike Pflueger

Additional information is available from KSAZ Television in Phoenix.


Related Resources
Bird Strike Risks to Aircraft

Australian Transport Safety Bureau Bird Strike Study for 2002-2006

While reviewing a directory of recent reports from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), I came across a document analyzing Australian bird strike occurrences from 2002-2006 (full report available here).

The summary has risen from approximately 750 in 2002 to 1,200 in 2006. The report includes bird and bat strikes that occurred in Australian territory or that involved any strike involving an Australia-registered aircraft. The analysis looked at a variety of variables including location, date, phase of flight, type of flight operation, effect on flight, aircraft damage, and bird size, and bird species.

Bird strike reporting was found to have almost doubled over the five-year reporting period from about 750 in 2002 to 1,200 in 2006. Around 7.5% (383 of 5,103) during the study period resulted in damage. The overall strike rate was about one per 6,407 aircraft movements. There were three injuries, but no fatalities, during this five-year period.

Additional Resources
Recent Bird Strikes in the News