Cessna 550 accident near Sellersburg, Indiana, June 5, 2009
On June 5, 2009 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 550, registered N73HH, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Sellersburg, Indiana (Clark Regional airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a large bird during the airplane's initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2009 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sellersburg, Indiana · Clark Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 550 · all 550s on the register
- Registration
- N73HH · no longer on the register · serial 550-0682
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that a large bird struck the nose of the airplane during its initial climb. The flight was about 1 mile north of the airport, 1,000 feet above ground level, at the time. The pilot elected to continue the approximately 20-minute flight to the intended destination, and the flight was completed without further incident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination revealed impact damage to the nosecone and underlying airframe support structure.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,450 hours in all; 1,550 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 14,039 as pilot in command; 5,011 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,095 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 14,100 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada JT15D-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada JT15D-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: M & L Airways INC
The flight
- Departed from: JVY Sellersburg IN at 8:28 pm
- Destination: PMH Portsmouth OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:25 pm from JVY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.