Birdstrike in the Pattern

Author: John Hampton

I was a check pilot at Reese AFB, TX, in about 1989. I was giving a student his contact check, and he had accomplished everything except a closed pattern and a normal, full stop landing.

At the beginning of the closed pull up to the North, a left-hand turn, he suddenly screamed and buried the stick full aft and to the left. We buffeted, rolled past 90 degrees, and experienced a bang and airflow inside the cockpit.

I immediately took control, unloaded, rolled wings level, applied full AB, and pulled back using light to moderate buffet to avoid ground impact.

A hawk had busted through the panel just below the windscreen, separating the glass from the metal. Half of it came into the cockpit, and half hit the back of the instruments.

About a minute later, the RSU controller transmitted, “Recover! Use full AB! (Not actually a minute, but definitely not in time).”

A good buddy, Tony Strandberg rejoined on us, gave us a quick BDA, then took the lead. I landed on his wing because we couldn't see out front.

After much deliberation, the next day, I took off with the student, and flew a BS SE pattern, TnG, departure, his profile in the area, RTB, then gave him the jet to warm up, pull closed, and land. He passed!