What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted Was flying as applicant for a flight instructor certificate in Piper arrow N54380. He and DPE privacy data omitted were conducting a power off accuracy landing to Lantana runway 33. At the same time an R-22 helicopter N475AT was conducting a rujn-on approach to runway 33 from a right hand pattern. The airplane (N54380) announced their intention on CTAF on their downwind. The helicopter announced their intention downwind, base leg and final approach. The airplane was overtaking the helicopter on short final. The airplane lost sight of the helicopter and initiated a go around. But struck the rotorblade of the helicopter with the passenger step on the right side of the airplane aft of the wing as they were climbing.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FLYING AS APPLICANT FOR A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE IN PIPER ARROW N54380. HE AND DPE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WERE CONDUCTING A POWER OFF ACCURACY LANDING TO LANTANA RUNWAY 33. AT THE SAME TIME AN R-22 HELICOPTER N475AT WAS CONDUCTING A RUJN-ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 33 FROM A RIGHT HAND PATTERN. THE AIRPLANE (N54380) ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTION ON CTAF ON THEIR DOWNWIND. THE HELICOPTER ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTION DOWNWIND, BASE LEG AND FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE WAS OVERTAKING THE HELICOPTER ON SHORT FINAL. THE AIRPLANE LOST SIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER AND INITIATED A GO AROUND. BUT STRUCK THE ROTORBLADE OF THE HELICOPTER WITH THE PASSENGER STEP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE AFT OF THE WING AS THEY WERE CLIMBING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.