Piper PA28R accident near Okeechobee, Florida, September 27, 2025
On September 27, 2025 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 2016 Piper PA28R, registered N8586A, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Okeechobee, Florida. 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
Collision with a bird during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2025 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R 201G, built 2016 · all PA28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N8586A · registry record · serial 2844164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, while the airplane was in cruise flight, a large black bird suddenly appeared in a dive and struck the right wing. The airplane landed uneventfully, and a subsequent inspection revealed that the right wing had sustained substantial damage.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,063 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 203 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 954 as pilot in command; 680 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 117 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 59 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,991 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 12, 2025; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 2,199 hours total
- Operator: Skyborne Airline Academy INC
The flight
- Departed from: VRB Vero Beach FL at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from OBE
Weather report (METAR): METAR KOBE 271735Z AUTO 14004KT 10SM VCTS CLR 30/27 A2985 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND W=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 4, 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 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 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.