Piper PA-28R accident near Orlando, Florida, July 26, 2001
On July 26, 2001 at about 12:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R, registered N47839, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper visual lookout, which resulted in the aircraft colliding with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2001 · about 12:25 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R · all PA-28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N47839 · registry record · serial 28R-7837006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was taxiing to park and a visual illusion caused the fence to blend into its background and other fence behind it. He said he was distracted, and did not make a specific check of the wingtip to ensure proper clearance, and the right wing of the aircraft collided with a fence, causing damage to a rib in the wing.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 209 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,990 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 11, 2001; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL at 11:30 am
- Destination: MCO Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from MCO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N47839 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA01LA195.