20040511008149A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Courtland, AL · May 11, 2004

Date: May 11, 2004 · 12:50 local
Place: Courtland, AL
Airport: Industrial Airpark Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7123R
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04LA112
Reported as: Piper PA28140
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,262 total700 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N7123RRegistration cancelled May 5, 2007 · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-21824 · Built 1966 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On final approach the aircraft hit a tree approximately 1500 feet from the approach end of the runway. The tree was approximately 30 feet high and well below the approach path. The aircraft flew into the ground after making contact with the trees. The pilot died 8 hours later from blunt force injuries. The flight controls had full continuity. The engine and fuel system was checked and found okay. The examination of the wreckage site revealed the airplane was on final approach for runway 13 and came to rest about 1500 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane came to rest on a golf course in a nose down attitude. The engine compartment of the airplane was crushed aft towards the firewall and displaced to the left. The right wing tip leading edge was crushed and the left wing assembly was buckled. The pilot did not report any flight control or mechanical anomalies prior to the accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON FINAL APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT HIT A TREE APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE TREE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET HIGH AND WELL BELOW THE APPROACH PATH. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW INTO THE GROUND AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH THE TREES. THE PILOT DIED 8 HOURS LATER FROM BLUNT FORCE INJURIES. THE FLIGHT CONTROLS HAD FULL CONTINUITY. THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM WAS CHECKED AND FOUND OKAY. THE EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SITE REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 13 AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 1500 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ON A GOLF COURSE IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE AIRPLANE WAS CRUSHED AFT TOWARDS THE FIREWALL AND DISPLACED TO THE LEFT. THE RIGHT WING TIP LEADING EDGE WAS CRUSHED AND THE LEFT WING ASSEMBLY WAS BUCKLED. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY FLIGHT CONTROL OR MECHANICAL ANOMALIES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL04LA112Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportCortland, ALThe pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in an undershoot and collision with trees.May 11, 2004 · Substantial damage