Piper PA 28R-200 accident near Bowling Green, Ohio, December 13, 2013
On December 13, 2013 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1973 Piper PA 28R-200, registered N66CS, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Bowling Green, Ohio (Wood County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A bird strike during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2013 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bowling Green, Ohio · Wood County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28R-200 200, built 1973 · all PA 28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N66CS · registry record · serial 28R7335107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing 180-degree, power off landings. During a full power climb out, approximately 100 feet above the ground, a large bird flew in front of the airplane, from north to south. The bird and the leading edge of the left wing collided in flight. The pilot landed the airplane without further incident. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
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) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,554.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-360-C1C (piston); 5,920 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Air Flying Club INC
The flight
- Departed from: 1G0 Bowling Green OH at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 1G0 Bowling Green OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,199 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; ovct at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from KTOL, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N66CS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN14CA088.