Accident Details
On December 9, 2024, at about 1630 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N90874, and a Cessna 172S, registration N497SJ, were involved in a midair collision near Pahokee, Florida. Both airplanes sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor and student pilot onboard the Piper were not injured. The flight instructor, private pilot receiving instruction, and student pilot observer onboard the Cessna were also not injured. Both flights were conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as instructional flights.
Flight Crew Reports
The instructor aboard the low-wing Piper reported that, during final approach for a third landing at Palm Beach County Glades Airport (PHK), at an altitude of about 300 to 350 ft above ground level, he heard a “crunching metal noise” and realized another airplane had collided with the cabin roof from above. He continued to land on the runway. He had been making position reports on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) and recalled a Cessna making a “short approach” report during a previous traffic pattern, but heard nothing during the accident pattern.
The pilot and instructor on the high-wing Cessna reported completing one full-stop and two touch-and-go landings. During the fourth approach, the student pilot in the rear seat yelled upon seeing “something big” on the left side of the airplane. The pilot pulled back on the control yoke but contact had already occurred. The instructor took control and landed without further incident. They made position reports on the CTAF during all four approaches, heard a transmission from an airplane on the ground at PHK, but never heard from another airplane in the traffic pattern.
Damage and Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined both airplanes. The Piper sustained substantial damage to its cabin roof fuselage, while the Cessna's outboard left wing was substantially damaged.
Data Analysis
Review of ADS-B data indicated that the Piper flew a wider left traffic pattern and the Cessna flew a tighter left traffic pattern before converging on short final approach.