Piper PA-28-140 accident near Anadarko, Oklahoma, November 6, 2012
On November 6, 2012 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7337J, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Anadarko, Oklahoma (Anadarko Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s use of excessive bank angle while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in an accelerated stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2012 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Anadarko, Oklahoma · Anadarko Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7337J · no longer on the register · serial 28-24692
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported that on the pilot’s first attempt to land, the airplane bounced and landed partially off the runway surface. The pilot aborted the landing and entered the traffic pattern to land again. When the airplane turned from the base leg of the traffic pattern to final, the airplane increased its bank angle to near 90 degrees. The airplane descended rapidly and impacted terrain. The prevailing wind, while relatively light, would have resulted in a tailwind during the base leg of the traffic pattern. If a pilot does not compensate for such wind conditions, that pilot could overshoot the turn from the base leg to final. A postimpact examination of the airplane did not find any anomalies which would have precluded the normal operation of the airplane. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot increasing the airplane’s bank angle to correct for overshooting the turn from base to final approach, resulting in an accelerated stall.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 0 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 21, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,987 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 8F3 Lubbock TX at 4:07 pm
- Destination: F68 Anadarko OK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 3,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from KCHK, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.