# Accident 19980428012379A: Piper PA28RT201T, Tampa, FL, April 28, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 28, 1998, 10:05 local time
- Place: Tampa, FL
- Airport: Vandenberg Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.0806° N, 82.5295° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0806&lon=-82.5295&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2125N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2125N-2018-01-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28RT-201T (registry code 7102817, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28rt-201t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28RT201T
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO360*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 375 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980428012379A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON CLIMBOUT LARGE BIRD STRUCK PA28 AND ENTERED ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOST POWER. LANDED ROUGH FIELD. WING HIT A TREE. (.4) ON APRIL 28, 1998, ABOUT 1005 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME A PIPER PA-28RT-201T, N2125N, COLLIDED WITH A BIRD SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT THE VANDENBERG AIRPORT, IN TAMPA, FLORIDA.  THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE FLIGHT  WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, IMMEDIATELY AFTER ROTATION, A LARGE BIRD STRUCK THE FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENTERED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO A ROUGH FIELD COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AND STRIKING A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRPLANE.  ACCORDING TO THE FAA, AFTER TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) ON CLIMB OUT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A BIRD.  THE IMPACT SEPARATED A FUEL LINE AND A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURE  D. THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM RUNWAY 18.  THE OWNER AND PILOT WERE SENT AN NTSB FORM 6120.1/2 PILOT/OPERATOR REPORT, BUT DID NOT RETURN IT.                                                (-23) AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN AFTER TAKEOFF, AT APPROXIMATELY 500', WAS STRUCK BY A BIRD. THE IMPACT DAMAGED THE GASOLATOR AND ATTACHED FUEL LINE. THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM VANDENBURG AIRPORT. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED BY THE PILOT OR PASSENGER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL98LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA068), Apr 28, 1998: Piper PA-28RT-201T (N2125N), Tampa, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: In-flight collision with a bird, which separated a fuel line causing a loss of engine power, and resulting in an emergency landing on unsuitable terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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