- Date
- April 28, 1998, 10:05 local (14:05 UTC)
- Place
- Tampa, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2125NPiper PA-28RT-201T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980428012379A
- Case key
- 3986
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
In-flight collision with a bird, which separated a fuel line causing a loss of engine power, and resulting in an emergency landing on unsuitable terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, and the FAA, immediately after takeoff, a large bird struck the front of the airplane and entered into the engine compartment. The impact separated a fuel line and a loss of engine power occurred. Subsequently, the engine stopped and the pilot made an emergency landing into a rough field collapsing the left main gear and striking a tree with the left wing substantially damaging the airplane.
Factual narrative
On April 28, 1998, about 1005 eastern daylight time a Piper PA-28RT-201T, N2125N, collided with a bird shortly after takeoff at the Vandenberg Airport, in Tampa, Florida. The airplane was operated by the certified flight instructor under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot and one passenger were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, immediately after rotation, a large bird struck the front of the airplane and entered into the engine compartment. Subsequently, the engine stopped and the pilot made an emergency landing into a rough field collapsing the left main gear and striking a tree with the left wing substantially damaging the airplane.
According to the FAA, after takeoff at about 500 feet above ground level (AGL) on climb out the airplane struck a bird. The impact separated a fuel line and a loss of engine power occurred. The airplane landed in an open field approximately 2 miles from runway 18.
The owner and pilot were sent an NTSB Form 6120.1/2 Pilot/operator report, but did not return it.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2125N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28RT-201T (PA-28RT-20)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7931043
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leading Edge Aviation Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- X16
- Airport
- X16 · Vandenberg Airport, runway 18, 3,260 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 375 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TPA, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.