What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 17, 2000 at 1500 hours PDT Piper N8578L collided with a fence on takeoff from a dirt field near Coleville, CA. The a/c being operated as a tow plane suffered substantial damage. The glider being recovered from the field was able to release and land in the next field suffering substantial damage also. Before attempting the takeoff the pilot paced off the distance of the field at 1600 feet, which he estimated would be enough for take off. During climb out the tow plane collided with the fence. (.4) on June 17, 2000, about 1430 hours pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-25-260, N8578L, collided with a fence during a sailplane tow takeoff from a dirt field near Coleville, California. The airplane, operated by soar minden under 14 CFR part 91, sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight and a company flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the minden-tahoe airport, minden, Nevada, about 1400, and landed in the field, about 5,300 feet mean sea level (MSL), to recover a sailplane after it had made a precautionary landing in the field. The pilot repo rted that the sailplane had lost lift and decided to make a precautionary landing, and contacted his company for assistance in towing the glider out of the field. After landing the tow plane in the open field, both pilots paced off about 15/1,600 feet, which he estimated would be sufficient for takeoff at 5,300 feet MSL. The density altitude was calculated to be about 7,903 feet MSL. During the takeoff climb the tow plane collided with a fence. The sailplane released, overflew the tow plane by 2 to 4 feet, and collided with another fence across the road from the tow plane.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 17, 2000 AT 1500 HOURS PDT PIPER N8578L COLLIDED WITH A FENCE ON TAKEOFF FROM A DIRT FIELD NEAR COLEVILLE, CA. THE A/C BEING OPERATED AS A TOW PLANE SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE GLIDER BEING RECOVERED FROM THE FIELD WAS ABLE TO RELEASE AND LAND IN THE NEXT FIELD SUFFERING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ALSO. BEFORE ATTEMPTING THE TAKEOFF THE PILOT PACED OFF THE DISTANCE OF THE FIELD AT 1600 FEET, WHICH HE ESTIMATED WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR TAKE OFF. DURING CLIMB OUT THE TOW PLANE COLLIDED WITH THE FENCE. (.4) ON JUNE 17, 2000, ABOUT 1430 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-25-260, N8578L, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING A SAILPLANE TOW TAKEOFF FROM A DIRT FIELD NEAR COLEVILLE, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY SOAR MINDEN UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE MINDEN-TAHOE AIRPORT, MINDEN, NEVADA, ABOUT 1400, AND LANDED IN THE FIELD, ABOUT 5,300 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL), TO RECOVER A SAILPLANE AFTER IT HAD MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN THE FIELD. THE PILOT REPO RTED THAT THE SAILPLANE HAD LOST LIFT AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING, AND CONTACTED HIS COMPANY FOR ASSISTANCE IN TOWING THE GLIDER OUT OF THE FIELD. AFTER LANDING THE TOW PLANE IN THE OPEN FIELD, BOTH PILOTS PACED OFF ABOUT 15/1,600 FEET, WHICH HE ESTIMATED WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR TAKEOFF AT 5,300 FEET MSL. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE ABOUT 7,903 FEET MSL. DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB THE TOW PLANE COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE SAILPLANE RELEASED, OVERFLEW THE TOW PLANE BY 2 TO 4 FEET, AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER FENCE ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE TOW PLANE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8578L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.