Piper PA-28-181 accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, December 11, 2025
On December 11, 2025 at about 3:25 pm local time, a 2014 Piper PA-28-181, registered N620AC, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Fort Pierce, Florida (Treasure Coast Intl airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout while taxing, which resulted in the airplane striking a light pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2025 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · Treasure Coast 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 2014 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N620AC · registry record · serial 2843755
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the flight his seat had lowered and resulted in reduced forward visibility. After landing the pilot taxied back to the ramp and attempted to locate the designated parking spot for the airplane. While attempting to locate the parking spot, airplane’s left wing struck a light pole, which substantially damaged it. The pilot 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
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,027.3 hours in all; 768.8 in this make and model; 158.8 in the last 90 days; 38.7 in the last 30 days; 1,945.4 as pilot in command; 1,934.7 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 7, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,252.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 14, 2025; 84.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 4,583 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from FPR, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KFPR 111753Z 30009G17KT 10SM CLR 22/12 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP164 T02170122 10222 20083 58018
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Left Wing Spar Damage
Photograph 2 – Left Wing Spar Damage
Photograph 3 – Left Wing Spar DamageThe 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 May 29, 2026. 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 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative 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.
Other NTSB records under N620AC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.