Piper PA-28-140 accident near Cortland, AL
On May 11, 2004, a Piper PA-28-140 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cortland, AL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 11, 2004
- Place
- Cortland, AL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.656°N, 87.343°W
- NTSB ID
- 20040521X00628
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 11, 2004, at 1245 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N7123R, registered to and operated by a private pilot collided with a tree during a low approach to runway 13 at Lawrence County Airport, Cortland, Alabama. The personal flight was operated under the provision of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot was fatally injured. The flight departed Lawrence County Airport on May 11, 2004 at 1200. Circumstances and the purpose of the flight were unknown , however according to witnesses, located on a golf course, the airplane was flying low towards the airport when the right wing "clipped a tree". The airplane "spun" to the right and collided with the ground. The witnesses went the location of the downed airplane. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Review of the pilot's records revealed the pilot held a private pilot certificate issued on August 7, 1998 with ratings for airplane single engine land. The pilot held a third-class medical issued July 7, 2003, valid when wearing corrective lenses. The pilot log book review revealed that he had accumulated a total of 1262 flight hours. The pilot's total flight hours in the Piper PA-28 were not determined. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION Review of the maintenance records revealed that the last recorded annual inspection was conducted on May 7, 2003.The current tachometer time was 3783.30, and the engine time since overhaul was 299.1 hours. The last overhaul was on July 21, 1994 at a tac
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.
More accidents in AL
- Beech C99, Jul 10, 1991
- Cessna 421A, Jun 22, 1983
- Cessna 421C, Jul 9, 2011
- Piper PA 31, Aug 14, 2016
- Beech 95-B55B, Dec 5, 1992
Browse: Alabama · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
