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19970816043479A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-25-235 · Hinckley, IL · August 16, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 16, 1997 · 14:00 local
Place
Hinckley, IL
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N9781P
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI97LA261
Reported as
Piper PA25235
Reported engine
Lycoming O540*
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,700 total405 in this make and model131 in the last 90 days
N9781PRegistration cancelled Apr 23, 1998 · Piper PA-25-235S/N 257556091Airframe modelPiper PA-25-235

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Lost control on glider tow climb. Glider released landed ok. PA25 impacted and burned. (-23) on August 18, 1997, at approximately 1400 CDT, PA-25-235, N9781PM piloted by PIC timothy p. o'meara collided with the terrain following a loss of control during climb shortly after takeoff from Hinckley soaring center, Hinckley, IL (0C2). N9781P was engaged in towing a glider. The pilot of the tow plane sustained minor injuries, and N9781P was destroyed. The investigation is closed with submission of this report. (.4) the pilot of the tow plane reported that after takeoff at an altitude of about 50 ft AGL, he felt a 'large pull' on the tail of his airplane. He looked back and saw the glider was 'very high and off to my left side.' He then felt slack in the line at which time he thought the glider was moving back into position. At an altitude of 100' to 150' a 'violent jerk' occurred and the tow plane was forced into a nose down attitude. The tow rope was released but the airplane continued in the nose down attitude until it contacted the terrain.

As the FAA filed it

LOST CONTROL ON GLIDER TOW CLIMB. GLIDER RELEASED LANDED OK. PA25 IMPACTED AND BURNED. (-23) ON AUGUST 18, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 CDT, PA-25-235, N9781PM PILOTED BY PIC TIMOTHY P. O'MEARA COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING CLIMB SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM HINCKLEY SOARING CENTER, HINCKLEY, IL (0C2). N9781P WAS ENGAGED IN TOWING A GLIDER. THE PILOT OF THE TOW PLANE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND N9781P WAS DESTROYED. THE INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED WITH SUBMISSION OF THIS REPORT. (.4) THE PILOT OF THE TOW PLANE REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 FT AGL, HE FELT A 'LARGE PULL' ON THE TAIL OF HIS AIRPLANE. HE LOOKED BACK AND SAW THE GLIDER WAS 'VERY HIGH AND OFF TO MY LEFT SIDE.' HE THEN FELT SLACK IN THE LINE AT WHICH TIME HE THOUGHT THE GLIDER WAS MOVING BACK INTO POSITION. AT AN ALTITUDE OF 100' TO 150' A 'VIOLENT JERK' OCCURRED AND THE TOW PLANE WAS FORCED INTO A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE TOW ROPE WAS RELEASED BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED IN THE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE UNTIL IT CONTACTED THE TERRAIN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA261Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHinckley, ILthe failure of the glider pilot to properly handle his airplane during the initial takeoff climb which resulted in the tow pilot's inability to maintain control of his airplane.Aug 16, 1997 · Destroyed