Piper PA-28-181 accident near Chuluota, Florida, March 6, 2026
On March 6, 2026 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 2024 Piper PA-28-181, registered N658FT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Chuluota, Florida (Orlando Sanford 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 enroute.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2026 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chuluota, Florida · Orlando Sanford 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 2024 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N658FT · registry record · serial 28020183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that shortly after departure, while enroute at 1,000 ft mean sea level, she observed a large black bird on their flight path. The flight instructor took positive control of the airplane and attempted a right turn to evade the bird, but the bird impacted the leading edge of the left wing before she could complete the evasive maneuver. The flight instructor continued to fly the airplane, selected the right tank and requested a long landing. She delayed deploying the flaps until immediately over the runway where they landed safely. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left wing had been substantially damaged.
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 (climb to 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 land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,259 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,111 as pilot in command; 898 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 7, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 25, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 987 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B4A (piston); 987 hours total
- Operator: Florida Institute Of Technology INC
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL at 2:05 pm
- Destination: MLB Melbourne FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from SFB, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSFB 061353Z 12010KT 10SM CLR 24/21 A3025 RMK AO2 SLP243 T02390211=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of left wing damage caused by bird strike.
Photograph 2 – Bird strike damage to left leading edge.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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 14, 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 | Memorandum for Record - Flight Instructor | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array_birdstrike Damage | 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.
Other NTSB records under N658FT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA142.