# Accident 20241209020222A: Piper PA-28-181, Pahokee, FL, December 9, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 9, 2024, 16:30 local time
- Place: Pahokee, FL
- Airport: Palm Beach County Glades
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.7958° N, 80.6945° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.7958&lon=-80.6945&mi=10
- Aircraft: N90874, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N90874) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 398 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241209020222A

## Narrative

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

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.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N497SJ, Cessna 172S: [Accident 20241209020492A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241209020492A)

## 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 ERA25LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA072), Dec 9, 2024: Piper PA28 (N90874), Pahokee, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots' failure to see and avoid the other airplane, which resulted in a midair collision during short final approach.

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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