# NTSB ERA26LA312: Piper PA24, N6969P, Fort Washington, MD, August 21, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open
- Date: August 21, 2026, 14:46 local (18:46 UTC)
- Place: Fort Washington, MD
- Coordinates: 38.743534, -76.963774 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7435&lon=-76.9638&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203648
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA312
- Latest NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203648/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA312

## Sequence of events

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

- [Initial climb: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6969P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6969P), registered now, S/N 24-2111, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA24 (250)
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-2111
- Year built: 1960
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airport: VKX, Potomac Airfield, runway 24, 2,665 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## 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 20260821011339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260821011339A), Aug 21, 2026: Piper PA-24-250, Fort Washington, MD, Substantial damage. Pilot strurk a big bird on the left wing leading edge. No issues, no findings. Inspected records, no finding. Deterimine it an accident 4 foot by 4 foot of…

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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