Preliminary Report: Birdstrike Causes Beechjet Damage

Hawker Beechcraft 400A, Sugar Land, Texas, July 31, 2009–While on takeoff roll from Sugar Land Municipal Airport and approaching 95 knots, the pilots saw one large and two smaller birds flying across their path and were unable to react before at least one struck the airplane. The number-two engine immediately rolled back, and the pilots aborted the takeoff. The Beechjet’s right engine lost its cowling and multiple turbine blades. None of the eight people on board was injured. No bird warnings were active for the airport at the time of the accident. The Smithsonian identified the bird’s remains as those of a yellow-crowned night heron.