Piper PA-28-181 accident near Clearwater, Florida, July 6, 2024
On July 6, 2024 at about 5:14 pm local time, a 2013 Piper PA-28-181, registered N471A, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Clearwater, Florida (St Pete-Clearwater Intl 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 flying in the airport traffic pattern.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2024 · about 5:14 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · St Pete-Clearwater Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181, built 2013 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N471A · registry record · serial 2843743
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that after completing multiple uneventful touch-and-go landings they were on the downwind leg in the traffic pattern. While flying at an airspeed of about 90 kts and at 1,000 ft agl, he spotted a bird directly in front of the airplane. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and abruptly pushed the control stick to try and avoid the bird. The student pilot described seeing the bird also enter a dive before it struck the top of the windshield, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage above the windshield. The flight instructor declared an emergency and landed without further issue. Both pilots reported that there were no preimpact 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 maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,199.7 hours in all; 938.5 in this make and model; 359.2 in the last 90 days; 166.3 in the last 30 days; 1,068.4 as pilot in command; 889.7 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 25, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,620 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 5, 2024; 6.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 7,620 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIE Clearwater FL at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 9,730 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PIE, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPIE 061653Z 07007KT 10SM CLR 33/24 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP149 T03280244
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Postaccident view of bird impact
Photograph 2 – Postaccident view of bird impact
Photograph 3 – Bird impact damage from flight deckThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 4, 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 | Instructor Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Student Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 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.