Probable cause
An in-flight collision with a bird.
NTSB analysis
According to the pilot, while at an altitude of 1,700 feet mean sea level, a large bird struck the right horizontal stabilizer, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot declared an emergency, diverted, and landed the airplane without further incident.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA13CA240 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- May 11, 2013
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Loxahatchee, Florida
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA-44-180T
- N-number
- N8390K
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
Other records under this N-number
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.