# NTSB ERA24LA149: Piper PA28, N686JA, Apopka, FL, March 20, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 20, 2024, 10:09 local (14:09 UTC)
- Place: Apopka, FL
- Coordinates: 28.707057, -81.582105
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7071&lon=-81.5821&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Taxi-from runway: AC/prop/rotor contact w person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193970
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA149
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193970/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193970
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA149

## Probable cause

The pilot and the landscape worker’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi-from runway: AC/prop/rotor contact w person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot had landed following completion of a solo cross-country flight and was taxiing the airplane along a taxiway. A video from a security camera depicted the airplane taxiing while an individual who was not wearing visible hearing protection, audio headphones, or wearing visibility-enhancing outer clothing was performing landscape work with a powered edger alongside a building. As the airplane approached the location of the building travelling at what the pilot reported as a “standard ground speed,” the landscape worker, who reported he did not notice the airplane approaching from his left, moved towards the taxiway. As the airplane continued along the taxiway centerline, the worker moved to the edge of the taxiway with his head tilted down and then turned to the right to follow the edge of the taxiway placing his back to the approaching airplane. The outboard portion of the airplane’s right wing near the wingtip contacted the worker and knocked him forcefully to the ground resulting in serious injuries. The airplane veered slightly to the right off centerline before stopping. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane’s wing had incurred minor damage. The inspector also found that there were no discrepancies with the airplane’s braking or steering systems, nor did the pilot report any. Additionally, there were no skid marks on the taxiway and the main landing gear tires did not exhibit any flat spots consistent with no heavy braking having been applied before the collision.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N686JA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N686JA), registered now, S/N 28020086, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28 (181)
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-B4A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-b4a) (registry code 41867, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28020086
- Year built: 2022
- Airframe hours: 1097
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-B4A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Orlando Flight Academy, Inc., doing business as First Landings Aviation
- Registered owner: Hot Wings Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, March 15, 2024
- Departed: CGC, Crystal River, FL
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: X04, Orlando Apopka Airport
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 39 total, 39 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observed at: KORL, 16 nm away
- METAR: METAR KORL 201353Z 35004KT 10SM CLR 15/06 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP213 T01500061=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20240320018989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240320018989A), Mar 20, 2024: Piper PA-28-181, Apopka, FL, Minor damage. On 03/20/2024 at approximately 10:16 EST aircraft was returning from a solo cross-country flight and taxing on taxiway alpha at X04 when the aircraft struck an…

## Other investigations on N686JA (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 ERA25LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA293), Aug 7, 2025: Piper PA-28-181 (N686JA), Inverness Highlands South, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate monitoring of the airplane during taxi which resulted in collision with a sign.

## Docket (9 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193970. 39.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 10.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17855019&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Julson_Recd%204%2017%202024%20By%20Attorney%20Edward%20M%20Booth_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot initial statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 263 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17856971&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Initial%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Statement from student's flight instructor (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 182 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17856753&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement%20Fm%20Students%20Flight%20Instructor_1%20Pg_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Contacted individual statement (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17856743&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Ground%20Worker%20Statment_Recd%2010%2021%202024_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- FAA inspector statement (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17856560&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Federal aviation administration automatic dependent surveillance a�� broadcast (ADS-B) tabular data (item 6, CSV, 24.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17856650&FileExtension=csv&FileName=20240320_A91A4A_543902854_ADSB-Rel.csv
- Memorandum for record - video description (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 4 photos, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17858274&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20For%20Record%20-%20Video%20Description%20v01-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 8, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 617 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17858622&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs%20v01-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17856640&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fully%20Exctd%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form_N686JA_ERA24LA149_Redacted-Rel.pdf

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.

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