# Incident 20210315003319I: Piper Aircraft Inc PA-28-181, Melbourne, FL, March 15, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 15, 2021, 15:00 local time
- Place: Melbourne, FL
- Airport: Melbourne International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.0836° N, 80.6081° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Melbourne, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0836&lon=-80.6081&mi=10
- Aircraft: N644FT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N644FT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102832, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (registry code 42276, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a4m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER AIRCRAFT INC PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360-A4M
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 667 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210315003319I

## Narrative

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

03-15-2021 WHILE CON CLIMB OUT FROM MLB THE STUDENT TURNED DOWNWIND FROM ON A CROSSWIND, AT THAT MOMENT HE SAW A GROUP OF BIRDS WHILE IN THE BANK. ONE OF THEM  STRUCK THE RIGHT WING ON THE LEADING EDGE CAUSING A MINOR DENT IN LEADING EDGE. NOTIFIED THE TOWER, PILOT STATED NO ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED, BUT THE TOWER HAD THE FIRE TRUCKS ON STANDBY NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. AFTER LANDING, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ENSURED THAT THERE WERE NO FUEL LEAKS, AND ALLOWED THE PILOT TO TAXI BACK TO THE RAMP FOR MAINTENANCE.

## Other reports on N644FT (2)

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

- [Incident 20130801015889I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130801015889I), Aug 1, 2013: Piper Aircraft Inc PA-28-181 (N644FT), Melbourne, FL, Minor damage. N644FT was conducting a soft field takeoff at Melbourne international airport. N644FT rotated early resulting in ground contact with both the left and right…
- [Incident 20130718015859I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130718015859I), Jul 18, 2013: Piper Aircraft Inc PA-28-181 (N644FT), Melbourne, FL, No damage. N644FT a PA-28 landed on runway 9L and exited the runway on the left side into the grass, N644FT re-entered runway 9L and taxied to the ramp under it's own…

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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