Piper PA-28-180 and Piper PA-44-180 mid-air collision near Flagler Beach, Florida, March 7, 1996
On March 7, 1996 at about 5:38 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28-180 (N4258T) and Piper PA-44-180 (N7152Y), were involved in a mid-air collision near Flagler Beach, Florida (Flagler County airport). 6 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate visual lookout by the pilots in both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid conflicting traffic.
inadequate visual lookout by the pilots in both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid conflicting traffic.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1996 · about 5:38 pm local time
- Place
- Flagler Beach, Florida · Flagler County · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4258T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7205089
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7152Y · registry record · serial 44-8095016
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-180 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A student pilot and flight instructor (CFI) in Piper PA-44, N7152Y, departed on an instructional flight. About 24 minutes later, a pilot and three passengers in Piper PA-28, N4258T, departed from the same airport on a personal sightseeing flight. After their departures, radar service for each airplane was terminated. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed in the area. Later, the PA-44 was observed flying southbound, paralleling a beach, about 1/2 to 3/4 mile offshore over the Atlantic Ocean. At about the same time, the PA-28 was observed to turn to a westly heading. The two airplanes converged, and a collision occurred at about 600 feet mean sea level in uncontrolled airspace. The airplanes and airplane parts were observed to descend and fall in ocean water.
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 Piper PA-44-180 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A student pilot and flight instructor (CFI) in Piper PA-44, N7152Y, departed on an instructional flight. About 24 minutes later, a pilot and three passengers in Piper PA-28, N4258T, departed from the same airport on a personal sightseeing flight. After their departures, radar service for each airplane was terminated. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed in the area. Later, the PA-44 was observed flying southbound, paralleling a beach, about 1/2 to 3/4 mile offshore over the Atlantic Ocean. At about the same time, the PA-28 was observed to turn to a westly heading. The two airplanes converged, and a collision occurred at about 600 feet mean sea level in uncontrolled airspace. The airplanes and airplane parts were observed to descend and fall in ocean water.
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 PA-28-180 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 272 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 165 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,745 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 5:16 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from DAB, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-44-180 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: 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: 1,219 hours in all; 138 in this make and model; 194 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 1,039 as pilot in command; 781 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,999 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 9, 1996; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 4:52 pm
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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 MIA96FA096.