Cessna 525 accident near Monroeville, Alabama, November 6, 2015
On November 6, 2015 at about 9:45 pm local time, a 1999 Cessna 525, registered N525DY, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Monroeville, Alabama (Monroe County airport). It was a personal 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 inadvertent collision with a bird during takeoff enroute climb, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2015 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Monroeville, Alabama · Monroe County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 525 A, built 1999 · all 525s on the register
- Registration
- N525DY · no longer on the register · serial 306
- 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 while climbing through 3000 feet mean sea level (MSL), a flock of birds was seen immediately in front of the airplane. The pilot reported that about 1 second after seeing the flock of birds, a single bird impacted the leading edge of the right wing. The pilot returned to the departure airfield and landed without further incident. A post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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 (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 20, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 20, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,100 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 10,400 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Williams FJ-44-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Williams FJ-44-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Execuflight LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: MVC Monroeville AL at 9:40 pm
- Destination: ALX Alexander City AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 6,028 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KGZH, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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.