# Accident 20130511007389A: Piper PA-44-180T, Pbi, FL, May 11, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2013, 12:05 local time
- Place: Pbi, FL
- Airport: West Palm Beach
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.8061° N, 80.4431° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.8061&lon=-80.4431&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8390K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8390K) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-44-180T (registry code 7104404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TSIO-360SER (registry code 41561, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tsio-360ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-44-180T
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TO-360-E1A6D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 16,000 total, 100 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13CA240](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA240) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130511007389A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ERA13CA240](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA240), May 11, 2013: Piper PA-44-180T (N8390K), Loxahatchee, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: An in-flight collision with a bird.

## Other reports on N8390K (2)

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

- [Accident 20260607010309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260607010309A), Jun 7, 2026: Piper PA-44-180T (N8390K), St. George, UT, Substantial damage. During 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…
- [Incident 20100522035179I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100522035179I), May 22, 2010: Piper PA-44-180T (N8390K), Daytona Beach, FL, Minor damage. During practice emergency landings conducted concurrently with short-field landings, the pilot reported that the student retarded the throttles resulting in a…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
