# Accident 20130506006209A: Piper PA-28-161, Cottonwood, AZ, May 6, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 6, 2013, 23:22 local time
- Place: Cottonwood, AZ
- Airport: Cottonwood Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.7300° N, 112.0350° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7300&lon=-112.0350&mi=10
- Aircraft: N47717, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47717-2015-05-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 87 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13CA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA219) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130506006209A

## Narrative

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

DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (PILOT OF N47717) ON MAY 7, 2013 AT 14:33, HE STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN N47717 FROM OKLAHOMA WITH AN INTENDED FINAL DESTINATION IN CALIFORNIA.  HE STATED THAT HE WAS TRAVELING TO CALIFORNIA FOR WORK.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE HAD PLANNED TO OVERNIGHT IN COTTONWOOD; AZ ON THE EVENING OF MAY 6.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE FLEW OVER THE COTTONWOOD AIRPORT (KP52) AND DID A 180 DEGREE TURN AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE RUNWAY LIGHTS.  HE STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO ACTIVATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS HE THOUGHT HE SAW TWO LIGHTS, AND AFTER CLOSER REVIEW HE NOTICED THAT THE TWO LIGHTS THAT HE WAS FIXED ON WERE SECURITY LIGHTS FROM A BUILDING THAT WAS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT WHEN HE NOTICED THE TWO SECURITY LIGHTS, HE REALIZED HE WAS CLOSE TO THE SERVICE ROAD AND ATTEMPTED TO APPLY POWER BUT THAT IT WAS TOO LATE AND THE NEXT THING HE KNEW HE HAD HIT A FENCE.

## 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 WPR13CA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA219), May 7, 2013: Piper PA-28 (N47717), Cottonwood, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's decision to attempt a night landing on an unlit runway, which resulted in a misaligned approach and subsequent collision with a fence. Contributing to the accident was the student…

## Other reports on N47717 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19970429014829I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970429014829I), Apr 29, 1997: Piper PA28161 (N47717), Peoria, AZ. Narrative: during a local post maintenance test flight the throttle became difficult to move beyond the idle position. Pleasant valley airport was nearby and…

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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