20130511007389A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-44-180T · Pbi, FL · May 11, 2013

Date: May 11, 2013 · 12:05 local
Place: Pbi, FL
Airport: West Palm Beach
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8390K
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA13CA240
Reported as: Piper PA-44-180T
Reported engine: Lycoming TO-360-E1A6D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 16,000 total100 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N8390KRegistered now · Piper PA-44-180TS/N 44-8107061 · Built 1981 Airframe modelPiper PA-44-180T Engine modelLycoming TSIO-360SERTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Bird strike on RH stabilator, flight control malfunction flight diverted to Pbi and completed an emergency landing.

Flight operated at noon time whereas thermal activity over the area is at its maximum. Bird activity soaring at this time is also strong. Flights at this time of the day during summer months in central Florida should be alerted by fss of possible bird encounter.

As the FAA filed it

BIRD STRIKE ON RH STABILATOR, FLIGHT CONTROL MALFUNCTION FLIGHT DIVERTED TO PBI AND COMPLETED AN EMERGENCY LANDING.

FLIGHT OPERATED AT NOON TIME WHEREAS THERMAL ACTIVITY OVER THE AREA IS AT ITS MAXIMUM. BIRD ACTIVITY SOARING AT THIS TIME IS ALSO STRONG. FLIGHTS AT THIS TIME OF THE DAY DURING SUMMER MONTHS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA SHOULD BE ALERTED BY FSS OF POSSIBLE BIRD ENCOUNTER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA13CA240Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportLoxahatchee, FLAn in-flight collision with a bird.May 11, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8390K · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20260607010309ALanding: Approach · St. George, UTDuring approach the PIC performed a go around due to an aircraft on the runway. The pilot reports left engine failure when initiating the left crosswind. The pilot elected to not retract the landing gear and entered the pattern for rwy 19. During the downwind…Jun 7, 2026 · Substantial damage Incident 20100522035179IDescent · Daytona Beach, FLDuring practice emergency landings conducted concurrently with short-field landings, the pilot reported that the student retarded the throttles resulting in a significant sink rate. The instructor assumed the flight controls and advanced the throttles with…May 22, 2010 · Minor damage