History of Flight
On November 6, 2012, at about 1220 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, registration N7337J, impacted terrain near Anadarko, Oklahoma. The flight departed Crosbyton Municipal Airport (8F3), Crosbyton, Texas, at 1207, destined for Anadarko Municipal Airport (F68), Anadarko, Oklahoma. The pilot was the sole occupant. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. According to witnesses, the airplane approached the airfield from the north and landed at an angle about one-quarter of the way down runway 17. The airplane drifted left, and the left main landing gear went off the runway into dirt. The airplane then climbed, turned left, and circled over the airport to enter a downwind leg for a left base turn to runway 35. During the turn, the bank increased to the point where the top of the airplane was completely visible to a witness. Subsequently, the airplane made a rapid descent toward the terrain.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 62, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on April 5, 2011, with the restriction that he must wear glasses for near vision. His private pilot certificate was issued on April 5, 2011. The pilot's logbook was not recovered, and his complete flight experience is unknown.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a single-engine, low-wing, fixed landing gear Piper PA-28-140, manufactured in 1968. It was registered under normal and utility classifications. A review of logbooks showed the previous annual inspection on February 7, 2012, recorded an airframe total time of 3,986.88 hours and engine total time of 3,986.88 hours, with 1,476.28 hours since major overhaul. A logbook entry on August 10, 2012, noted work on the right flap, with an airframe total time of 4,033.5 hours.
Meteorological Information
At 1215, an automated weather reporting facility at Chickasha Regional Airport (KCHK), Chickasha, Oklahoma, located 15 nautical miles east of the accident site, reported wind from 260 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 68°F, dew point 43°F, and barometric pressure 30.10 inches of mercury. The prevailing wind was from the west, and the traffic pattern was flown to the west. Without compensating for wind, the airplane could be susceptible to overshooting final approach.
Airport Information
The accident occurred during an attempted landing at F68, a non-towered, publicly owned airport. Runway 17/35 is asphalt, 3,100 feet long and 50 feet wide. The airfield has no weather reporting station; pilots use KCHK or the windsock near runway 17.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted an open farm field about 0.4 miles south-southwest of runway 17's threshold. The soil was dry and hard packed. The main impact point was a shallow crater. Near the crater was the propeller, fractured from the hub. The wreckage lay about 10 feet southwest of the impact point, upright, with the nose facing 170 degrees. The left wing, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, rudder, left horizontal stabilizer, and left elevator were almost totally consumed by fire. The leading edge of the right wing was crushed; the right wing tip was buckled and displaced aft and upward. The right horizontal stabilizer was heat damaged. Flight control continuity was established via cables from surfaces to cockpit controls. Flaps were retracted. Both propeller blades showed leading edge polishing and chordwise scratches. Propeller attach bolts were sheared. No preimpact anomalies were detected with the airframe. The engine was heat damaged and impact-separated from the fuselage. The crankshaft rotated freely; continuity and compression were established. The oil screen was clear. The left magneto was heat damaged; the right magneto produced spark at all terminals. The carburetor fuel inlet screen was clear. No preimpact anomalies were detected with the engine.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma and thermal injuries, with the manner ruled accident. Forensic toxicology by CAMI was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and screened substances. One finding: 262 mg/dl of glucose in vitreous, above the 125 mg/dl considered abnormal. The pilot did not report medical concerns on his most recent medical application or examination. Medical records were not located. The pilot's brother was unaware of any health concerns. Although elevated postmortem glucose suggests possible diabetes, it could not be determined if the pilot was aware or seeking care.
Additional Information
The report included excerpts from the FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook on overshooting finals and accelerated stalls, as well as a reference to NTSB Safety Alert SA-019 regarding aerodynamic stalls at low altitude. However, no causal link is stated.