# Accident 20180809010529A: Piper PA-28-161, Merritt Island, FL, August 9, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 9, 2018, 09:50 local time
- Place: Merritt Island, FL
- Airport: Merritt Island
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: ECQS
- Location: 28.3417° N, 80.6869° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3417&lon=-80.6869&mi=10
- Aircraft: N487JK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N487JK-2021-03-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 22 total, 22 in this make and model, 22 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA479](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA479) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180809010529A

## Narrative

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

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PERFORMING SOLO TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 29 ON HIS 3RD SOLO FLIGHT. HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD OBSRVD A WHITE BIRD HEADING TOWARD THE AIRCRAFT AS HE WAS ABOUT TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT ON THE 4TH T&G. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO AVOID THE BIRD BY APPLYING LEFT RUDDER. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE LEFT MLG IMPACTED THE A4 TAXIWAY TURNOFF SIGN LOCATED JUST PAST THE TURNOFF AND ADJACENT TO THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN SETTLED TO THE GROUND AND CROSSED OVER TAXIWAY ALPHA BEFORE COMING TO REST IN A DITCH BORDERING THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY.

INITIAL ON-SCENE EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE LT MLG HAD BEEN TORN FREE FROM THE WING SPAR AT IMPACT AND THAT IT CAME TO REST IN THE GRASS AREA NOT FAR PAST THE A4 SIGN. THE A4 SIGN HAD BEEN TORN FREE FROM ITS MOUNTING LOCATION AT THE FRANGIBLE MOUNT BASE.

CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT AFTER RECOVERY FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING SPAR HAD BEEN CRACKED AND DEFORMED WHERE THE MLG MOUNT HAD BEEN ATTACHED TO THE SPAR.

REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT HE HAD FLOWN ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLT ON 8/7/2018, AND HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 3 HOURS SOLO FLT EXPERIENCE AND 16 TOTAL SOLO LDGS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 GAA18CA479](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA479), Aug 9, 2018: Piper PA28 (N487JK), Merritt Island, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering to avoid a bird during the landing flare, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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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