Beech 95-B55 accident near Center, North Dakota, April 7, 2010
On April 7, 2010 at about 2:51 am local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N70283, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Center, North Dakota. It was a public-use flight (state) under public-use (government) rules. 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent in-flight collision with several Mallard ducks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2010 · about 2:51 am local time
- Place
- Center, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N70283 · registry record · serial TF45
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with several Mallard ducks during an instructional flight in night visual meteorological conditions. The pilot-in-command reported that, as the airplane was descending through 4,200 feet, he heard a “loud pop” and felt a “violent rush of air.” The flight instructor, seated in the right seat, sustained serious injuries when one duck penetrated the right cockpit windshield and struck his face. The pilot-in-command seated in the left seat was not injured. The flight crew decided to return to the departure airport and made an uneventful landing. A postaccident inspection revealed that the airplane had received substantial structural damage to the right wing leading edge. All observed damage to the windshield and nose cone was consistent with the airplane colliding with several birds during 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
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,335 hours in all; 1,147 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 8, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,279 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 25, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,093 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBIS Bismarck ND at 2:25 am
- Destination: KHZE Hazen ND
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:25 am from KBIS, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.