Piper Aircraft INC PA-28-181 accident near Astatula, Florida, September 17, 2025
On September 17, 2025 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 2022 Piper Aircraft INC PA-28-181, registered N580JA, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Astatula, Florida (Orlando Apopka airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2025 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Astatula, Florida · Orlando Apopka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper Aircraft INC PA-28-181 100i, built 2022
- Registration
- N580JA · registry record · serial 28020080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 17, 2025 at 1000 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181 100i, N580JA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Astatula, Florida. The student pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot was performing three solo, full-stop/taxi-back landings. During her third landing approach, she executed a go-around due to traffic on the runway and departed the traffic pattern due to too much congestion. During the climb, she engaged the autopilot and set it for a climb, then switched fuel tanks. Once she was done switching fuel tanks, she saw that the airplane’s airspeed and engine’s rpm was increasing as the airplane descended. She disconnected the autopilot, reduced engine power, and leveled the airplane’s nose to stop the descent. A few seconds later, the airplane began to pitch down and descend again. She applied maximum back pressure on the controls to attempt to bring the nose back up, but the airplane remained in a descent. Upon realizing she was unable to arrest the descent, she located a dirt road and attempted to land. During the landing, the right wing struck a power pole, and a fence, resulting in substantial damage to the right and left wings; the right wing was partially impact-separated mid span and the left wingtip was crushed. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the stabilator trim tab was deflected to the full nose down position with the position of the flight control surface being consistent with the position of the indicator in the cockpit. The pilot stated that throughout the accident sequence, she did not manipulate the stabilator trim controls. The wreckage was retained for further examination.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute defining event
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,509.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: X04 Apopka FL at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from LEE, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLEE 171453Z 06006KT 10SM CLR 28/22 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP186 T02830217 51008=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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.