Piper PA28 and Cessna 172 mid-air collision near Pahokee, Florida, December 9, 2024
On December 9, 2024 at about 9:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA28 (N90874) and Cessna 172 (N497SJ), were involved in a mid-air collision near Pahokee, Florida (Palm Beach County Glades Airpo airport). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots' failure to see and avoid the other airplane, which resulted in a midair collision during short final approach.
The pilots' failure to see and avoid the other airplane, which resulted in a midair collision during short final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2024 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pahokee, Florida · Palm Beach County Glades Airpo · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA28 181, built 1985 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N90874 · registry record · serial 28-8690014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172 S, built 2000 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N497SJ · registry record · serial 172S8497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA28 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The low-wing airplane and the high-wing airplane were both being operated as instructional flights. Both airplanes arrived from different airports and had completed several uneventful landings at the non-tower-controlled accident airport. The pilots of both airplanes reported that they were transmitting position reports and hearing transmissions on the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency. Review of ADS-B data indicated that the low-wing airplane flew a wider left traffic pattern, and the high wing airplane flew a closer left traffic pattern before the airplanes converged on final approach, and the left wing of the high-wing airplane contacted the upper cabin of the low-wing airplane, resulting in substantial damage to both airplanes. The instructors onboard each airplane took control, and landed without further incident. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the failure of the pilots to see and avoid the other airplane while operating in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in a midair collision.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The low-wing airplane and the high-wing airplane were both being operated as instructional flights. Both airplanes arrived from different airports and had completed several uneventful landings at the non-tower-controlled accident airport. The pilots of both airplanes reported that they were transmitting position reports and hearing transmissions on the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency. Review of ADS-B data indicated that the low-wing airplane flew a wider left traffic pattern, and the high wing airplane flew a closer left traffic pattern before the airplanes converged on final approach, and the left wing of the high-wing airplane contacted the upper cabin of the low-wing airplane, resulting in substantial damage to both airplanes. The instructors onboard each airplane took control, and landed without further incident. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the failure of the pilots to see and avoid the other airplane while operating in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in a midair collision.
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 for the Piper PA28 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Flight crew
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 398 hours in all; 267 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 273 as pilot in command; 69 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 23, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 1 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,427 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 2024; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 5,599 hours total
- Operator: Skyblue Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: F45 West Palm Beach FL at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,116 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from 2IS, 20 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K2IS 092135Z AUTO 14008KT 10SM CLR 26/15 A3010 RMK AO2 T02590154
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 252 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 157 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 18, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 809 hours in all; 761 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 354 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 7, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,678 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 27, 2024; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 7,678 hours total
- Operator: Fxe Flightcenter CORP
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 2, 2025. 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 (Cessna) | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statements (Cessna) | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Piper) | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 4 | ADS-B Plots | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Piper ADS-B Google Earth File | map file | Download |
| 6 | Cessna ADS-B Google Earth File | map file | Download |
| 7 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | 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.