Piper PA28 accident near Wedgefield, Florida, October 20, 2019
On October 20, 2019 at about 5:46 pm local time, a 2008 Piper PA28, registered N637FT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Wedgefield, 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2019 · about 5:46 pm local time
- Place
- Wedgefield, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 161, built 2008 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N637FT · registry record · serial 2842314
- 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, while en route on an instrument flight plan, about 4000 ft, the airplane entered a cloud where a flock of large black birds were circling. A bird impacted the stabilator, and he then disengaged the autopilot and checked the flight controls for any adverse effects; he did not see any. The instructor then chose to return to the departure airport and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the stabilator. The instructor 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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 76 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 15, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 820 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 715 as pilot in command; 470 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,616.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 8, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,447 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 5,008 hours total
- Operator: F I T Aviation Llc
The flight
- Departed from: MLB Melbourne FL at 5:32 pm
- Destination: LEE Leesburg FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KMLB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 20, 2019. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Damage Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.