# Incident 20260306003799I: Piper PA-28-181, Sanford, FL, March 6, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 6, 2026, 17:40 local time
- Place: Sanford, FL
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: CE8S
- Location: 28.7818° N, 81.2351° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7818&lon=-81.2351&mi=10
- Aircraft: N697LH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N697LH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-B4A (registry code 41867, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-b4a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-B4A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 1,570 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA149) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260306003799I

## Narrative

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

STRUCK A BIRD DEPARTING RUNWAY 9R AND RETURNED TO AIRPORT IMMEDIATLY AND LANDED SAFELY.

## 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 ERA26LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA149), Mar 6, 2026: Piper PA-28-181 (N697LH), Sanford, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: An in-flight collision with a bird during initial climb.

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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