20030816022631A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-25-235 · West Palm Beac, FL · August 16, 2003

Date: August 16, 2003 · 16:00 local
Place: West Palm Beac, FL
Airport: North Palm Beach County Gen Av
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8785L
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA03LA162
Reported as: Piper PA25235
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N8785LRegistration cancelled Jan 22, 2004 · Piper PA-25-235S/N 25-5471 · Built 1972 Airframe modelPiper PA-25-235 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) Took off rwy 8L (grass) at F45 towing glider N411KP. After lift-off at approximately 100 feet AGL, collided with helicopter N34176 that was completing a simulated auto-rotation just above rwy 8L at the intersection with rwy 13 and taxiway c. airplane initiated an uncontrollable left roll after the collision with helicopter and stalled into the ground in a marshy area north of rwy 8L. Helicopter continued airborne for a short time, then rolled 50 feet on its left side, and stopped on taxiway c. glider in tow saw collision and released tow cable from tow plane and landed straight ahead on rwy 8L without incident, damage or injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) TOOK OFF RWY 8L (GRASS) AT F45 TOWING GLIDER N411KP. AFTER LIFT-OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, COLLIDED WITH HELICOPTER N34176 THAT WAS COMPLETING A SIMULATED AUTO-ROTATION JUST ABOVE RWY 8L AT THE INTERSECTION WITH RWY 13 AND TAXIWAY C. AIRPLANE INITIATED AN UNCONTROLLABLE LEFT ROLL AFTER THE COLLISION WITH HELICOPTER AND STALLED INTO THE GROUND IN A MARSHY AREA NORTH OF RWY 8L. HELICOPTER CONTINUED AIRBORNE FOR A SHORT TIME, THEN ROLLED 50 FEET ON ITS LEFT SIDE, AND STOPPED ON TAXIWAY C. GLIDER IN TOW SAW COLLISION AND RELEASED TOW CABLE FROM TOW PLANE AND LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD ON RWY 8L WITHOUT INCIDENT, DAMAGE OR INJURIES.

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 MIA03LA162Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWest Palm Beach, FLThe poor judgment by the pilot-in-command of the airplane for his initiation of takeoff after the helicopter pilot had announced intention to perform a 180-degree autorotation to the runway, and the failure of both pilots to maintain visual lookout resulting…Aug 16, 2003 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage