Probable cause
An inadvertent encounter with birds while on the downwind leg in the traffic pattern.
NTSB analysis
The pilot was performing a night solo flight to practice some night landings. While on the downwind leg in the traffic pattern after his first takeoff, he saw a “flash” of four to six birds fly through his field of view from the bottom left to the top right of the airplane and subsequently heard a loud noise. He said that the impact lifted the right wing upward slightly and that he thought it was a bird strike. He landed the airplane without further incident. The next day, the pilot noticed substantial damage to the right wing.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13CA169 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Feb 15, 2013
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Murphysboro, Illinois
- Nearest airport
- Southern Illinois Airport (MDH)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
Cessna 152
- N-number
- N95670
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.