# Accident 20040511008149A: Piper PA28140, Courtland, AL, May 11, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2004, 12:50 local time
- Place: Courtland, AL
- Airport: Industrial Airpark Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6556° N, 87.3425° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6556&lon=-87.3425&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7123R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7123R-2007-05-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,262 total, 700 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL04LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA112) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040511008149A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL04LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA112), May 11, 2004: Piper PA-28-140 (N7123R), Cortland, AL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in an undershoot and collision with trees.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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