Piper PA-28-161 accident near Vero Beach, Florida, May 22, 2024
On May 22, 2024 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1978 Piper PA-28-161, registered N6232H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Vero Beach, Florida (Vero Beach Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird while on approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2024 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · Vero Beach Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161, built 1978 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N6232H · registry record · serial 28-7816240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, while in the airport traffic pattern and turning from the downwind leg to the base leg, a bird impacted the leading edge of the left wing, which resulted?in substantial damage. The pilot receiving instruction continued to fly the approach, and landed on the intended runway without further issue. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 950 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 760 as pilot in command; 550 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 13, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 234 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 127 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 16, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,590.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 10, 2024; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 9,524 hours total
- Operator: Paris Air INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12R, 7,314 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from VRB, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KVRB 221353Z 11007KT 10SM FEW041 28/22 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP166
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 31, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.