20240327004379I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Lakeland, FL · March 27, 2024

Date: March 27, 2024 · 13:42 local
Place: Lakeland, FL
Airport: Lakeland Linder
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
Operator: Z8FS
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N391D
Reported as: Piper PA-28-181
Reported engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 305 total

N391DRegistered now · Piper PA-28-181S/N 2843849 · Built 2016 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-181 Engine modelLycoming O-360-A4M4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

A Piper PA-28 on an instructional flight near Lakeland Linder Airport was performing ground reference maneuvers observed a flock of birds. The crew attempted to avoid them however, one struck the right-side cabin door causing minor damage. The aircraft returned and landed without incident. Further inspections performed showed no additional damage other than the door and was removed and replaced. The aircraft was returned to service. An FAA form 5200-7 was completed as required.

As the FAA filed it

A PIPER PA-28 ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT NEAR LAKELAND LINDER AIRPORT WAS PERFORMING GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS OBSERVED A FLOCK OF BIRDS. THE CREW ATTEMPTED TO AVOID THEM HOWEVER, ONE STRUCK THE RIGHT-SIDE CABIN DOOR CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. FURTHER INSPECTIONS PERFORMED SHOWED NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE OTHER THAN THE DOOR AND WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. AN FAA FORM 5200-7 WAS COMPLETED AS REQUIRED.