Beech 99 N899CZ accident near Waukesha, Wisconsin

Probable cause

An in-flight collision with a bird during the approach.

NTSB analysis

The pilot flying the airplane reported that, during an instrument flight rules instructional flight, the airplane was established on a very high frequency omnidirectional range approach. The pilot reported that, during the approach, he observed a large bird dive into the airplane's nose section. The pilot recalled that there was no time to react between the initial observation and impact. He terminated the training flight and landed the airplane as soon as practical and without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage frame.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA17CA244 for the full record.