Piper PA-28 accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, May 7, 2013
On May 7, 2013 at about 6:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N47717, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Cottonwood, Arizona (Cottonwood Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's decision to attempt a night landing on an unlit runway, which resulted in a misaligned approach and subsequent collision with a fence. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's improper set-up of the airplane radios, which resulted in his inability to activate the airport runway lights, and his mistaken identification of building lights for runway lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2013 · about 6:15 am local time
- Place
- Cottonwood, Arizona · Cottonwood Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 161 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N47717 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross-country flight, the student pilot was attempting a night landing for a fuel stop at an unattended airport and was unable to activate the runway lights via radio. He made one approach to runway 32, executed a missed approach, and then initiated an approach to runway 14. He conducted that approach based on two lights that he thought were the runway lights. When the airplane was very close to the ground, the pilot realized that the lights were security lights on a building and initiated a go-around. However, the airplane struck an airport boundary fence northeast of the runway and came to rest on a street outside airport property. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged by the impact with the fence. Postaccident examination revealed that the No. 1 communications radio in the airplane was set to the proper frequency to activate the runway lights but that the radio selector switch was set to the No. 2 communications radio, which was set to a different frequency. When power was applied to the airplane and the radio selector switch was set to the No. 1 radio, the runway lights were successfully activated. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Student pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Not specified
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 1 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,162 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 28, 2011; 160 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Unknown
- Destination: P52 Cottonwood AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,252 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from SEZ, 14 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.