# Accident 20251221019769A: Piper PA-44-180, Hollywood, FL, December 21, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 21, 2025, 10:40 local time
- Place: Hollywood, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: BY8S
- Location: 26.0038° N, 80.4412° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0038&lon=-80.4412&mi=10
- Aircraft: N156WM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N156WM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-44-180 (registry code 7104402, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180) (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-44-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA082) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251221019769A

## Narrative

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

FAA EXAMINATION OF AIRCRAFT N156WM INITIATED ON DECEMBER 30, 2025 AT HWO AIRPORT, SECURE

HANGAR. AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED PARKED IN A MAINTENANCE HANGAR PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF  THE

FUSELAGE, MAIN LANDING GEAR/NOSE LANDING GEAR, LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS INCLUDING AILERONS, FLAPS

UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES, TIPS, FAIRINGS, AND TRIM SYSTEM OBSERVED TO BE INTACT WITH NO OBVIOUS

EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT EMPENNAGE IDENTIFIED

DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT PORTION OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR ASSEMBLY LEADING EDGE AND ADJACENT

UPPER METAL SKIN SEGMENT CONSISTENT WITH IMPACT DAMAGE, PRESENTING AS A LARGE DENT IN THE

OUTBOARD SEGMENT, UPPER AND LOWER CAMBER OF THE STABILATOR LEADING EDGE WITH ASSOCIATED

WRINKLING OF THE SURROUNDING AREA, APPROXIMATELY 14 INCHES IN LENGTH, AND AN APPROXIMATE DEPTH

OF ONE AND A HALF INCHES, EVIDENCE OF ORGANIC MATTER (STAINS) CONSISTENT WITH DRIED BLOOD WERE

OBSERVED NO RESIDUAL MATERIAL OR FEATHERS WERE OBSERVED AT THE TIME OF THE EXAMINATION, IT IS

UNCLEAR IF THE AREA HAD BEEN CLEANED OR WIPED PRIOR TO FAA EXAMINATION. THE ENTIRE STABILATOR/

ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMOVED WITH MOUNTING POINTS AND

ASSOCIATED FAIRINGS, COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE EXPOSED. THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE STABILATOR

SEGMENT EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH IMPACT DAMAGE, CONSISTING OF WRINKLES

AND DEFORMATION OF THE UPPER SKIN PANEL SURFACE BEGINNING AT THE LEADING EDGE ROW OF FASTENERS.

THE STABILATOR SEGMENT UPPER SKIN PANEL AND LEADING EDGE WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY

REMOVED EXPOSING THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE STABILATOR SECTION, ON VISUAL INSPECTION THE

FORWARD AND AFT SPAR SECTIONS WERE OBSERVED TO BE INTACT, WITH NO INITIAL EVIDENCE OF BUCKLING OR

DEFORMATION TO THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE OR FASTENERS OTHER THAN THOSE REMOVED TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE

INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY. ON VISUAL INSPECTION THE LEFT AND RIGHT ELEVATOR TIPS,

TRAILING EDGES, LOWER SKIN SEGMENTS/SURFACES AND ATTACHMENT POINTS/FITTINGS, IDENTIFIED NO READILY

OBSERVABLE EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE OR DEFORMATION. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, RUDDER ASSEMBLIES AND

ATTACH FITTINGS EXHIBITED NO READILY OBSERVABLE EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE ON VISUAL INSPECTION. FUNCTION

CHECKS OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS WERE NOT OBSERVED AT THE TIME OF EXAMINATION DUE TO

PREVIOUS DISASSEMBLY OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.

## 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 ERA26LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA082), Dec 21, 2025: Piper PA44 (N156WM), Pembroke Pines, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: An in-flight collision with a bird while on approach to the destination airport.

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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