King Air Bird Strike at 13,000 Ft.

[hawk-eyed]

povero uccellino...

[Zenith]

Accidenti che buco!!! Deve essere stato uno Pterodattilo!!!

[sigmet]

Azz! non e' un bird strike... e' una collisione in volo!

[hawk-eyed]

...e adesso è toccato ad un Baron...

[sigmet]

Allora Pegaso esiste...

[spiridione]

M'inkya!!!

[hawk-eyed]

in verità, questa del Baron è stato qualcosa di più di un 'semplice' bird strike...

Something that could ruin your day. (from http://www.avweb.com)
Sometimes you see the wreckage and wonder how anyone got out alive. If this Beech Baron had been flying a few inches to the right, we likely wouldn't be wondering how Robert Hollis Gates, of Tehachapi, Calif., managed to land the plane safely after a midair with a Cessna 180 last Jan. 16. The Baron lost a section of fuselage, but Gates walked away with cuts and bruises. The 180 broke up in flight and the pilot, 40-year-old David Lazerson, a civilian test pilot instructor at Edwards Air Force Base and deputy director of the Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force, was killed. According to the NTSB report, Gates said he was in cruise climb between 5,500 and 6,500 feet near Tehachapi when he saw the right gear leg of the Cessna coming at him from one o' clock. He ducked, then saw a dirt strip and managed to set the Baron down. AVweb wasn't able to reach Gates.
The NTSB Report
On January 16, 2004, about 1415 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 180K, N61691, and a Beech 95-B55, N555RD, collided about 6.5 nautical miles west of Tehachapi, California. The Cessna was destroyed, and its airline transport certificated pilot was fatally injured. The Beech was substantially damaged, and its private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. At the time of the collision, neither airplane was on a flight plan. Both flights were performed under 14 CFR Part 91. The Cessna's flight originated at an undetermined time and from an undetermined location. The Beech's flight originated from Tehachapi, the pilot's home base airport, approximately 1412. At the time of the collision, the Federal Aviation Administration was not providing any services to the pilots.
Two witnesses reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that they observed both airplanes seconds prior to the collision. In summary, the witnesses reported that the larger (Beech) airplane was flying in a westerly direction and appeared to be cruising in level flight. The smaller (Cessna) airplane appeared to be cruising in an easterly direction and also appeared to be in level flight. Neither airplane appeared to change its course or alter its wing level appearance prior to the collision. Following the collision, the Beech continued flying in a westerly direction. A portion of the Cessna (subsequently identified as its entire right wing) was found on a hillside near where the main wreckage was located.
The Beech pilot reported to the Safety Board investigator that, at the time of the collision, he was in a cruise climb. His altitude was over 5,500 feet mean sea level (msl) but less than 6,500 feet msl. Less than a second prior to the collision he observed the right landing gear of an approaching airplane in his 1 o'clock position. He then ducked in a reflex-like manner and the collision occurred. The Beech pilot observed a dirt airstrip near his location, and he made a precautionary landing. [precautionary??? - Ed ]

http://www.beechcraft.org/vtail/midair/

[spiridione]

Ah, ecco.....