Piper PA-24-180 accident near Middlefield, Ohio, April 11, 2010
On April 11, 2010 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N6314P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Middlefield, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent in-flight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2010 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Middlefield, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6314P · registry record · serial 24-1424
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane collided with an eagle during cruise flight while descending through 2,700 feet. After the bird strike, he diverted to a nearby airport and made an uneventful landing. A postaccident inspection revealed that the airplane had received substantial damage to the engine firewall and right cockpit windshield. All observed damage was consistent with the airplane colliding with a bird while in flight.
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 enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 845 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 773 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 20, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLNN Willoughby OH at 2:30 pm
- Destination: Middlefield OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from KCGF, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.