# Accident 20210124001639A: Piper PA-28-161, Boynton Beach, FL, January 24, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 24, 2021, 20:00 local time
- Place: Boynton Beach, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: E7XS
- Location: 26.5412° N, 80.0370° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5412&lon=-80.0370&mi=10
- Aircraft: N266ND, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N266ND-2022-09-19) (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
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 176 total, 101 in this make and model, 114 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA111) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210124001639A

## Narrative

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

FINAL SUMMARY

DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE AIRMAN HAD LIMITED NIGHT EXPERIENCE AND ONLY SHOWED 6.4 HOURS OF SOLO TIME IN A PIPER PA-28.  THE AIRMAN RECEIVED ONLY 2.5 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION / DUAL RECEIVED IN A PIPER PA-28, NONE OF WHICH WAS DUAL INSTRUCTION IN A PIPER PA-28 AT NIGHT.  THE ONLY DUAL INSTRUCTION AT NIGHT WAS ACQUIRED IN THE AIRMAN?S PRIVATE PILOT TRAINING IN JANUARY 2020.

## 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 ERA21LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA111), Jan 25, 2021: Piper PA-28-161 (N266ND), Boynton Beach, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s controlled flight into the ocean at night due to his unrecognized spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction with the tuning of his transponder while…

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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