# Accident 20090823053599A: Piper PA-25, Creswell, OR, August 23, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 2009, 16:25 local time
- Place: Creswell, OR
- Airport: Hobby Field
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.9414° N, 123.0081° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9414&lon=-123.0081&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6353Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6353Z-2015-05-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25 (registry code 7102502, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-25
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 514 total, 127 in this make and model, 38 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09FA414](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA414) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090823053599A

## Narrative

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

ON AUGUST 23, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 2325Z, N6353Z, A PA-25, DEPARTED RUNWAY 33 AT THE CRESWELL HOBBY AIRPORT WITH N65974, A SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A GLIDER IN TOW. THE GLIDER WAS OPERATED BY A STUDENT PILOT ON HIS SECOND SOLO FLIGHT. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE GLIDER PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A STANDARD 200 FOOT CALL OUT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE GLIDER PILOT HEARD A RATTLING SOUND BEHIND HIS RIGHT SHOULDER. THE GLIDER PILOT THEN GLANCED OVER HIS RIGHT SHOULDER TO SEE THE DOOR UNLATCHED. AS THE GLIDER PILOT TURNED BACK AROUND, HE NOTICED THAT THE TOW PLANE WAS BELOW HIM AND HE COULD ONLY SEE THE TOP OF THE CANOPY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE GLIDER PILOT PITCHED DOWN IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET LEVEL WITH THE TOW PLANE. AS HE PITCHED DOWN HE NOTED SLACK DEVELOPING IN THE TOW ROPE AS THE GLIDER PASSED OVER THE TOP OF THE TOW PLANE. AT THIS POINT, THE GLIDER PILOT RELEASED AND MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE TOW PLANE CRASHED SHORTLY THEREAFTER IN A FIELD JUST NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE TOW PILOT DIED AT THE SCENE.  ON SCENE, THE TOW RING WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE TOW AIRPLANE'S TOW HOOK. THE HOOK WAS A SCHWEIZER DESIGN AND WAS MOUNTED IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THE TOW HOOK WAS STILL CLOSED AROUND THE TOW RING.  THE PLATE TO WHICH THE TOW HOOK WAS ATTACHED WAS BENT UP AND THE HEADS OF TWO CONNECTING BOLTS WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE BASE OF THE RUDDER. THE TOW ROPE WAS ALSO PRESENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WITH THE RING THAT ATTACHES TO THE GLIDER.  NO DISCONTINUITIES WERE NOTED WITH THE IN THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE NTSB SUBSEQUENTLY INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT ENGINE DAMAGE.

## 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 WPR09FA414](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA414), Aug 23, 2009: Piper PA-25 (N6353Z), Creswell, OR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff for a glider tow operation. Contributing to the accident were the tow pilot's impairment due to marijuana use and the low altitude of…

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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