A pilot was killed after a large bird struck and shattered his low-flying crop duster's windshield, investigators have concluded.
Tom Grey was conducting sprays at a property in Queensland's Western Downs when the crash happened on September 19, 2022.
The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau (ATSB) found the Air Tractor AT-502B was running parallel to a paddock fence line at a property near Chinchilla when a Australian bustard struck the aircraft.
Investigations indicated the plane was only 2.5 metres above the ground when the bustard, one of Australia's largest birds at up to 1.2m and 10 kilograms, shattered the right windshield.
Assessments of the crash site suggest the plane then continued flying for a further 310m, or five seconds, with the ATSB establishing the birdstrike "affected the pilot's ability to control the aircraft, resulting in a collision with terrain".
The 32-year-old pilot died at the scene, while the bird's carcass was found in the cockpit.
Severed wings from the animal were found about 310m north of the wreckage, in line with the aircraft's track along the fence.
More than 1300 birdstrikes were reported to the ATSB in 2022 with strikes usually resulting in nil-to-minor damage to the aircraft and occupants, the bureau said.
But this incident is the second confirmed fatality involving a bird in Australia.
"This accident highlights the ongoing hazards of birdstrikes to aircraft, particularly during low-level spraying operations," the report released this week says.
