A couple of chums had a near one at 7000 feet over Nairobi when a crested crane (I think) came through the windscreen of a Cessna 182 they were flying. It passed between them and ended up on the back seat, closely resembling a scene from Monty Python. The modified aerodynamics didn't help but they got the aircraft down at Wilson airport OK. Personally I wear those Nomex gloves with a leather palm, not because of in-flight fire so much as in the event of an over-priming ground fire I might be inclined to grab something hot. They are also very comfortable. Also a vote for proper 4/5 belt shoulder harnesses.