Piper PA23 accident near Tampa, Florida, March 24, 2019
On March 24, 2019 at about 6:27 pm local time, a 1976 Piper PA23, registered N976AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Tampa, Florida (Tampa Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 during the approach, which resulted in damage to the vertical stabilizer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2019 · about 6:27 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA23 250, built 1976 · all PA23s on the register
- Registration
- N976AZ · registry record · serial 27-7654200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the multiengine airplane reported that, on a descending vector for a visual instrument landing system approach on an instrument flight rules flight plan, about 2,500 to 2,800 ft mean sea level, he "felt the aircraft shudder along with a loud bang." He then disengaged the autopilot to determine if the flight controls were affected and looked for damage on the wing and nose area; he saw no damage. The pilot continued to the airport and landed without further incident. During the landing, the pilot of a waiting aircraft reported that he saw damage to the accident airplane's vertical stabilizer that looked like a bird had hit it. During postaccident examination, blood and tissue were found on the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Birdstrike during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,218 hours in all; 866 in this make and model; 166 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 21,018 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,514.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 28, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 162 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 162 hours total
- Operator: Mtn Aviation Llc
The flight
- Departed from: F45 West Palm Beach FL at 5:29 pm
- Destination: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19L, 8,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KTPA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.