The airplane’s impact by a bird during the initial climb.
NTSB
Passenger hits the brakes during landing
The passenger’s inadvertent application of the brakes during landing, which resulted in a nose-over.
Pilot crashes after being too focused inside cockpit
The pilot’s focus inside the cockpit during the base turn and final approach, which led to a high sink rate developing and a subsequent hard landing short of the runway.
It was like a tornado in the plane
The pilot’s distraction due to an open canopy during final approach, which resulted in a loss of altitude and ground impact short of the runway.
Stuck brake caliper leads to fire that destroys Piper
A stuck brake caliper, which overheated while the pilot was taxiing the airplane, caught fire, and subsequently destroyed the airplane.
Less flying led to fewer fatalities in 2020
Most aviation deaths in 2020 took place during general aviation operations, where 332 people were killed, compared to 414 the year before, according to statistic released by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Pilot mistakenly retracts landing gear during checkride
The pilot’s unintentional retraction of the landing gear during the landing roll.
Distracted pilot hits taxiway light
The pilot’s failure to follow the taxiway centerline guide and his distraction due to adjusting the radio, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from a taxiway light after landing and while taxiing to a ramp.
Improper fuel management leads to fuel starvation
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power, and his subsequent improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s improper preflight inspection during which he failed to see that the right fuel cap was not secured.