Piper PA23
Tampa, FL — March 24, 2019
Event Information
| Date | March 24, 2019 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA19CA180 |
| Event ID | 20190325X85220 |
| Location | Tampa, FL |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 27.97556, -82.53333 |
| Airport | Tampa Intl |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | Piper |
| Model | PA23 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
An in-flight collision with a bird during the approach, which resulted in damage to the vertical stabilizer.
Full Narrative
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 2500 to 2800 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; no damage was observed. The pilot further reported that he continued to the airport and landed without further incident. During the landing, a waiting aircraft reported they saw damage to the vertical stabilizer.
The airplane sustained substantial damaged 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.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.