Cessna 172 N733QJ

Summary

On 11 December 2023 at about 16:15 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N733QJ, operated by Rick Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Newport News, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 December 2023 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Newport News, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Newport News Williamsburg Intl (PHF)

Coordinates

37.1317, -76.4883

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N733QJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

Rick Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA065

Nobody was injured.

An inflight collision with a bird during initial climb.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and the pilot-rated student were in the flying in the airport traffic pattern practicing takeoffs and landings. During the initial climb following a touch-and-go landing, with the student at the controls, a large bird flew directly in front of the airplane. The student attempted to avoid it; however, the bird struck the leading edge of the left wing. The flight instructor took over the controls and landed the airplane uneventfully. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration examined the airplane and found that the wing had been substantially damaged as a result of the birdstrike.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.