# NTSB ERA25LA350: Piper PA-28-181, N580JA, Astatula, FL, September 17, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report - Date: September 17, 2025, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Astatula, FL - Coordinates: 28.677894, -81.706156 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.6779&lon=-81.7062&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 201024 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA350 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201024/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA350 ## Preliminary report On September 17, 2025 at 1000 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181 100i, N580JA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Astatula, Florida. The student pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot was performing three solo, full-stop/taxi-back landings. During her third landing approach, she executed a go-around due to traffic on the runway and departed the traffic pattern due to too much congestion. During the climb, she engaged the autopilot and set it for a climb, then switched fuel tanks. Once she was done switching fuel tanks, she saw that the airplane’s airspeed and engine’s rpm was increasing as the airplane descended. She disconnected the autopilot, reduced engine power, and leveled the airplane’s nose to stop the descent. A few seconds later, the airplane began to pitch down and descend again. She applied maximum back pressure on the controls to attempt to bring the nose back up, but the airplane remained in a descent. Upon realizing she was unable to arrest the descent, she located a dirt road and attempted to land. During the landing, the right wing struck a power pole, and a fence, resulting in substantial damage to the right and left wings; the right wing was partially impact-separated mid span and the left wingtip was crushed. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the stabilator trim tab was deflected to the full nose down position with the position of the flight control surface being consistent with the position of the indicator in the cockpit. The pilot stated that throughout the accident sequence, she did not manipulate the stabilator trim controls. The wreckage was retained for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 410 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N580JA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N580JA), registered now, S/N 28020080, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER AIRCRAFT INC PA-28-181 (100i) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102832) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-B4A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-b4a) (registry code 41867, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28020080 - Year built: 2022 - Airframe hours: 1509.4 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Orlando Flight Academy - Registered owner: Hot Wings Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 15, 2025 - Departed: X04, Apopka, FL - Airport: X04, Orlando Apopka - Equipment: Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.08 inHg - Observed at: LEE, 10 nm away - METAR: METAR KLEE 171453Z 06006KT 10SM CLR 28/22 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP186 T02830217 51008= ## 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 20250917019449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250917019449A), Sep 17, 2025: Piper Aircraft Inc PA-28-181, Astatula, FL, Substantial damage. On September 17, 2025, FSDO 15 was notified that an PA-28 aircraft, N508JA flown by a student pilot had made an emergency landing on a dirt road. The student… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.