Piper PA28 and Cessna 172 accident near Miami, Florida, November 20, 2018
On November 20, 2018 at about 2:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA28 (N607FT) and Cessna 172 (N80298), were involved in the same accident near Miami, Florida (Miami Executive airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper decision to taxi past another airplane occupying the taxiway and her subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the airplane.
The other pilot's improper decision to taxi past another airplane occupying a taxiway and her subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 2018 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami Executive · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA28 161, built 1989 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N607FT · registry record · serial 2841215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172 M, built 1975 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N80298 · registry record · serial 17266504
- 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 student pilot in the low-wing airplane reported that, after landing, she exited the runway onto a taxiway, which was occupied by a high-wing airplane that had landed before her. She attempted to pass the high-wing airplane on the left, but her airplane's right wing struck the other airplane's left wing lift strut. Her airplane then turned right about 180°, and the right wing struck the propeller and then the right wing of the high-wing airplane. The flight instructor in the high-wing airplane reported that, after exiting the runway onto a taxiway, he "felt a small hit on the left side." He saw a low-wing airplane make a right, 180° turn around the front of his airplane and impact its right wing. The low- and high-wing airplanes sustained substantial damage to their right wings. The student reported that there were no 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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot in the low-wing airplane reported that, after landing, she exited the runway onto a taxiway, which was occupied by a high-wing airplane that had landed before her. She attempted to pass the high-wing airplane on the left, but her airplane's right wing struck the other airplane's left wing lift strut. Her airplane then turned right about 180°, and the right wing struck the propeller and then the right wing of the high-wing airplane. The flight instructor in the high-wing airplane reported that, after exiting the runway onto a taxiway, he "felt a small hit on the left side." He saw a low-wing airplane make a right, 180° turn around the front of his airplane and impact its right wing. The low- and high-wing airplanes sustained substantial damage to their right wings. The student reported that there were no 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 for the Piper PA28 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
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 53.7 hours in all; 48.4 in this make and model; 30.7 in the last 90 days; 16.7 in the last 30 days; 4.8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,292 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 6, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-D3G (piston); 15,615 hours total
- Operator: Pilot Training Center Llc
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 2:00 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KTMB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172 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
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 550 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09L, 5,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N607FT 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.