# Accident 20030816022631A: Piper PA25235, West Palm Beac, FL, August 16, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 16, 2003, 16:00 local time
- Place: West Palm Beac, FL
- Airport: North Palm Beach County Gen Av
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
- Phase of flight: Takeoff
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.8453° N, 80.2214° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.8453&lon=-80.2214&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8785L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8785L-2004-01-22) (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
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA03LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA162) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030816022631A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 MIA03LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA162), Aug 16, 2003: Piper PA-25-235 (N8785L), West Palm Beach, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

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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