# Incident 20240313001342I: Piper PA-28-161, Valkaria, FL, March 13, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 13, 2024, 16:30 local time
- Place: Valkaria, FL
- Airport: Valkaria Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Collision: Collision on the ground
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: ECQS
- Location: 27.9609° N, 80.5583° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at VALKARIA (X59), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9609&lon=-80.5583&mi=10
- Aircraft: N625FT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N625FT) (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: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 31 total, 31 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240313001342I

## Narrative

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

THE FLIGHT SCHOOL AIRCRAFT FLEW FROM MELBOURNE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KMLB) MELBOURNE, FL TO X59 VALKARIA AIRPORT, VALKARIA, FL AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 EST, FOR STUDENT SOLO TRAINING. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS OBSERVING THE STUDENT FROM THE END OF TAXIWAY C2. THE STUDENT PERFORMED TWO SOLO FLIGHTS INCLUDING LANDING AND FULL STOP. AT APPROXIMATELY 1640 EST ON THE THIRD AND FINAL SOLO FLIGHT, THE STUDENT LANDED AND TAXIED VIA C2 TO PICK UP THE INSTRUCTOR. THE STUDENT NOTICED A SMALL ROTORCRAFT PARKED TO THE RIGHT OF THE TAXIWAY CENTERLINE AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS ADEQUATE SPACE OFF OF THE RIGHT WINGTIP TO CLEAR THE ROTORCRAFT. HOWEVER, THE STUDENT'S RIGHT WINGTIP STRUCK THE RIGHT TAIL SECTION OF THE ROTORCRAFT AND SPUN THE ROTORCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES BEFORE STOPPING, RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WINGTIP AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER TAIL SECTION. NO INJURIES OCCURRED.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N123GW, Gregory Jon Wardle ARGON GTL 916 IS: no report for this aircraft; [N123GW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N123GW) is registered now

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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