Piper PA-28-180 N7317W

Summary

On 7 May 2011 at about 14:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N7317W, operated by John W. Hudson, was involved in an accident near Ocilla, Georgia, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 2011 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Ocilla, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Private Strip

Coordinates

31.5909, -83.2394

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N7317W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John W. Hudson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ocilla → Fitzgerald

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11LA289

4 people had minor injuries.

The pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot turned the airplane to the right immediately after liftoff from the dirt strip to avoid a tree in its flight path. According to the pilot, the engine stopped producing power, the stall warning activated, and the airplane remained in a right bank until ground contact. The airplane came to rest upright in a cultivated field less than 1/2 mile from the departure strip. Photographs taken by first responders revealed significant tip-curling, leading edge gouging, and chord-wise scratching of both propeller blades, which was consistent with engine power at the time of impact. There was no visible evidence of an in-flight or post-crash fire. The airplane was recovered from the field, and a detailed examination of the airframe and powerplant revealed no evidence of pre-impact anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.