20241209020222A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Pahokee, FL · December 9, 2024

Date
December 9, 2024 · 16:30 local
Place
Pahokee, FL
Airport
Palm Beach County Glades
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N90874
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA25LA072
Reported as
Piper PA-28-181
Reported engine
Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
398 total

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.

NTSB accident no.: ERA25LA072A atqa: A-SO-19-25-010 sas ptrs no.: SO19202501497 task id:T-SO19-FY25-0294 registration: nxxxx make: Piper model: PA-28 serial number: xxxxxx when: December 9, 2024 where: Palm Beach County Glades (phk) N26°47.44' / W80°41.64', N26°46.76' / W80°41.56' what: on December 9, 2024, at approximately 1630 local time, aircraft #2 (Cessna) collided midair with aircraft#1 (Piper) at Palm Beach County Glades Airport (phk). Aircraft #1 (Piper) sustained substantial damage on the top of the fuselage as aircraft #2 (Cessna) collided from above while turning base to final on runway 18. Aircraft #1(Piper) was on final approach at a lower altitude at approximately 125FT. The impact marks on aircraft #1(Piper) indicate the lefthand wing of aircraft #2 (Cessna) impacted the top of fuselage causing substantial damage to the top of the airframe crown area. Impact marks on the RH wing of aircraft #1(Piper) indicate the left MLG of aircraft #2(Cessna) impacted the top outer area of wing showing evidence tire skid marks. ADS-B data shows aircraft #2 (Cessna) at 450FT while turning base to final while aircraft #1 (Piper) was at 175FT on final approach. A go pro video footage was obtained and clearly shows aircraft #2 (Cessna) was at a higher altitude while practicing short final approaches; both aircraft landed safely, and no injuries were reported. FAA investigators responded to the scene and interviewed both parties. Radio comm frequencies were verified on both aircraft. The correct UNICOM frequency on the vfh radios were operating normally. A radio check was satisfactorily on both aircraft. The handheld mic was verified inoperative on aircraft #2 (Cessna). Aircraft #2 (Cessna) yoke ptt was verified to

Operate normally via headphone. High wing vs low wing is not a factor. Aircraft number #2 (Cessna) was high wing aircraft. Aircraft #1 (Piper) was a low wing aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

NTSB ACCIDENT NO.: ERA25LA072A ATQA: A-SO-19-25-010 SAS PTRS NO.: SO19202501497 TASK ID:T-SO19-FY25-0294 REGISTRATION: NXXXX MAKE: PIPER MODEL: PA-28 SERIAL NUMBER: XXXXXX WHEN: DECEMBER 9, 2024 WHERE: PALM BEACH COUNTY GLADES (PHK) N26°47.44' / W80°41.64', N26°46.76' / W80°41.56' WHAT: ON DECEMBER 9, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 1630 LOCAL TIME, AIRCRAFT #2 (CESSNA) COLLIDED MIDAIR WITH AIRCRAFT#1 (PIPER) AT PALM BEACH COUNTY GLADES AIRPORT (PHK). AIRCRAFT #1 (PIPER) SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON THE TOP OF THE FUSELAGE AS AIRCRAFT #2 (CESSNA) COLLIDED FROM ABOVE WHILE TURNING BASE TO FINAL ON RUNWAY 18. AIRCRAFT #1(PIPER) WAS ON FINAL APPROACH AT A LOWER ALTITUDE AT APPROXIMATELY 125FT. THE IMPACT MARKS ON AIRCRAFT #1(PIPER) INDICATE THE LEFTHAND WING OF AIRCRAFT #2 (CESSNA) IMPACTED THE TOP OF FUSELAGE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TOP OF THE AIRFRAME CROWN AREA. IMPACT MARKS ON THE RH WING OF AIRCRAFT #1(PIPER) INDICATE THE LEFT MLG OF AIRCRAFT #2(CESSNA) IMPACTED THE TOP OUTER AREA OF WING SHOWING EVIDENCE TIRE SKID MARKS. ADS-B DATA SHOWS AIRCRAFT #2 (CESSNA) AT 450FT WHILE TURNING BASE TO FINAL WHILE AIRCRAFT #1 (PIPER) WAS AT 175FT ON FINAL APPROACH. A GO PRO VIDEO FOOTAGE WAS OBTAINED AND CLEARLY SHOWS AIRCRAFT #2 (CESSNA) WAS AT A HIGHER ALTITUDE WHILE PRACTICING SHORT FINAL APPROACHES; BOTH AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY, AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. FAA INVESTIGATORS RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND INTERVIEWED BOTH PARTIES. RADIO COMM FREQUENCIES WERE VERIFIED ON BOTH AIRCRAFT. THE CORRECT UNICOM FREQUENCY ON THE VFH RADIOS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. A RADIO CHECK WAS SATISFACTORILY ON BOTH AIRCRAFT. THE HANDHELD MIC WAS VERIFIED INOPERATIVE ON AIRCRAFT #2 (CESSNA). AIRCRAFT #2 (CESSNA) YOKE PTT WAS VERIFIED TO

OPERATE NORMALLY VIA HEADPHONE. HIGH WING VS LOW WING IS NOT A FACTOR. AIRCRAFT NUMBER #2 (CESSNA) WAS HIGH WING AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT #1 (PIPER) WAS A LOW WING AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.