# Accident 19890520012629A: Piper PA25235, Warrenton, VA, May 20, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 20, 1989, 12:39 local time
- Place: Warrenton, VA
- Airport: Warrenton-Fauquier Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5863° N, 77.7106° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at WARRENTON/FAUQUIER (HWY), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5863&lon=-77.7106&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9489P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9489P-2013-05-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25-235 (registry code 7102504, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA25235
- Reported engine: LYC O540B2B5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB BFO89LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO89LA035) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890520012629A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NOVICE GLIDER PILOT PITCHED UP ON TOW. RAISED TAIL TOWPLANE, THEN CUT LOOSE. TOWPLANE NOSE DIVED TO IMPACT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB BFO89LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO89LA035), May 20, 1989: Piper PA-25-235 (N9489P), Warrenton, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE FAILURE OF THE GLIDER PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE DURING TAKEOFF AND THE DELAY IN RELEASING FROM THE TOWPLANE AFTER REALIZING THAT HE WAS CLIMBING WELL ABOVE THE TOWPLANE. CONTRIBUTING…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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