- Date
- October 20, 2019, 13:46 local (17:46 UTC)
- Place
- Wedgefield, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N637FTPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Enroute: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191020021939A
- Case key
- 100455
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
An in-flight collision with a bird.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that, while en route on an instrument flight plan, about 4000 ft, the airplane entered a cloud where a flock of large black birds were circling. A bird impacted the stabilator, and he then disengaged the autopilot and checked the flight controls for any adverse effects; he did not see any. The instructor then chose to return to the departure airport and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the stabilator. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, while en route on an instrument flight plan, about 4000 ft, they entered a cloud where a flock of large black birds were circling. A bird impacted the stabilator, he disengaged the autopilot and checked the flight controls for any adverse effects, which none were observed. The instructor then elected to returned to the departure airport and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the stabilator. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N637FT
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (161)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2842314
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 7,616.2
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- F I T Aviation Llc
- Registered owner
- F I T Aviation Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 8, 2019
- Departed
- MLB · Melbourne, FL
- Destination
- LEE · Leesburg, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 18
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 15, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 130 total · 56 in this make and model · 76 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 18, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 820 total · 700 in this make and model · 715 as pilot in command · 170 in the last 90 days · 61 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- KMLB
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.