Probable cause
An inflight bird strike, which resulted in wing spar damage.
NTSB analysis
According to the student pilot, while flying en route to his home airport, the airplane sustained a bird strike to the right wing. The student pilot reported that he checked the flight controls and engine performance, and made the decision to continue the flight to his destination. He reported that during the approach he noticed that it took an abnormal amount of left aileron to maintain level flight; however, he landed the airplane without further incident. A subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to flight that would have prevented normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA15CA241 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 22, 2015
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Upperville, Virginia
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172
- N-number
- N5210A
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2002
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
Other records under this N-number
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.