# Accident 20171007014369A: Piper PA-25-235, Front Royal, VA, October 7, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2017, 13:38 local time
- Place: Front Royal, VA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9203° N, 78.2631° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9203&lon=-78.2631&mi=10
- Aircraft: N90866, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90866-2017-11-15) (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 PA-25-235
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 13,953 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA18FA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA006) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171007014369A

## Narrative

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

ON 10/7/2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 1345 HOURS, THE ACCIDENT PILOT/AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM FRONT ROYAL AIRPORT (FRR), VIA RUNWAY 28 WITH A GLIDER IN TOW (GLIDER REGISTRATION NUMBER N341KS). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 200? AGL THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BELOW AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE GLIDER IN TOW. WHILE AT THIS ALTITUDE, THE GLIDER PILOT, WHO WAS PROVIDING AN INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT TO A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT, MOMENTARILY LOOKED AWAY FROM THE TOW PLANE. ONCE HE REFOCUSED HIS ATTENTION TO THE TOW PLANE, HE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY SEE IT. ONCE ACQUIRED, HE OBSERVED ITS RELATIVE POSITION TO HIS OWN. ADDITIONALLY, HE NOTICED SLACK IN THE TOW CABLE. THE GLIDER PILOT IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE TOW PLANE, MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN, MAKING AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AT FRR.

THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY APPROXIMATELY 1,600? NORTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 28, KILLING THE PILOT. THERE WAS A SMALL CRATER AND EARTH SCARRING WITH WRECKAGE FRAGMENTS LOCATED NEAR THE CRATER. THE TOW CABLE WAS ALSO LOCATED ALONG THE DEBRIS PATH. THE MAIN PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 65? FROM THE CRATER AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AT A HEADING OF 315 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE POST-CRASH FIRE. CONTROL SURFACE CABLE CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED AT THE SITE AND NO READABLE INSTRUMENTS WERE RECOVERED.

REVIEW OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS REFLECTED THAT ALL REQUIRED INSPECTIONS WERE CURRENT AS OF TIME OF ACCIDENT.

THIS IS STILL UNDER NTSB INVESTIGATION

## 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 ERA18FA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA006), Oct 7, 2017: Piper PA 25-235 (N90866), Front Royal, VA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The tow plane pilot's loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. Contributing to the accident was the glider instructor's diversion 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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