Piper PA-28-140 N7123R

Summary

On 11 May 2004 at about 17:45 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N7123R was involved in an accident near Cortland, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 May 2004 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Cortland, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Industrial Airpark (9A4)

Coordinates

34.6556, -87.3425

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N7123R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cortland → Cortland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04LA112

1 person died.

The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in an undershoot and collision with trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to witnesses the airplane was flying low towards the airport when the right wing of the airplane "clipped a tree". The airplane "spun" to the right and collided with the ground. No radio transmissions were received from the pilot prior to the accident. Examination of the wreckage site revealed the airplane came to rest 600 feet from the approach end of the runway 13 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. The left wing assembly was buckled. Examination of the flight controls and power plant revealed no anomalies. The pilot did not report any mechanical or flight control anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.