# Accident 20040613018179A: Piper PA25235, Peoria, AZ, June 13, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 13, 2004, 15:04 local time
- Place: Peoria, AZ
- Airport: Pleasant Valley Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8006° N, 112.2506° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8006&lon=-112.2506&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4602Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4602Y-2005-08-17) (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
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,775 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04LA240](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA240) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040613018179A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WITNESSES TO THE EVENTS STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE PAWNEE (TOW PLANE) ENTER A HIGHER THAN NORMAL CLIMB AFTER A NORMAL TAKE-OFF. THE GLIDER WHICH WAS ON TOW ATTEMPTED TO MATCH THE RATE OF CLIMB BUT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP UP. THE TOW ROPE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT WENT SLACK. THE PAWNEE (TOW PLANE) DROPPED ITS NOSE AND GAINED SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO PULL THE SLACK OUT OF THE TOW ROPE. THE PAWNEE INITIATED AN EXCESSIVELY NOSE HIGH CONDITION AGAIN, AND THE ROPE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT WENT SLACK AGAIN. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT. AGL THE GLIDER RELEASED FROM THE TOW ROPE AND EXECUTED A 270 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT AND LANDED ACROSS THE RUNWAYS. DURING THIS TIME THE PAWNEE'S NOSE STAYED HIGH AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND ENTERED A SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE PAWNEE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN EXCESSIVELY NOSE DOWN CONDITION AND WAS DESTROYED.

## 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 LAX04LA240](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA240), Jun 13, 2004: Piper PA-25-235 (N4602Y), Peoria, AZ, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain a proper pitch attitude during tow operations and his failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin.

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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