# Accident 20250418003889A: Lowell C. Frank PIETENPOL, Taylorsville, NC, April 18, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 18, 2025, 12:52 local time
- Place: Taylorsville, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.8335° N, 81.2314° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8335&lon=-81.2314&mi=10
- Aircraft: N497AR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N497AR) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Frank Lowell C PIETENPOL (registry code 7040271, https://openairdocs.org/model/frank-lowell-c-pietenpol) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Ford CONVERSION (registry code 26701, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ford-conversion) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LOWELL C. FRANK PIETENPOL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,926 total, 233 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA183) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250418003889A

## Narrative

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

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED NC27 WITH 1 PAX ON BOARD.     APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NC 27, THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON AN UNCONTROLLED PRIVATELY OWNED GRASS FIELD NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF CHURCH ROAD AND RINK DAM ROAD IN TAYLORSVILLE, NC.  DURING APPROACH, BUT PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, PILOT IDENTIFED A SIGNIFICANT TAIL WIND AND FLEW OVER THE FIELD FROM THE WEST AT JUST ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.  PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A NARROW 180° TURN AT THE EAST END WITH THE INTENT TO LAND FACING THE WIND.  SHORTLY AFTER PILOT INITIATED THE TURN, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND DROPPED VERTICALLY NOSE  DOWN TO THE GROUND FROM APPROXIMEATELY 50 FEET.  BOTH PILOT AND PAX SUFFERED MINOR 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 ERA25LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA183), Apr 18, 2025: Frank Lowell C Pietenpol (N497AR), Taylorsville, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during an attempted go around in gusty tailwind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

## Other reports on N497AR (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20090726017919I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090726017919I), Jul 26, 2009: Amtr PIETENPOL (N497AR), Oshkosh, WI, Minor damage. (-23) Airman was landing on runway 36 at kosh with a flight of 9 peitenpoels. In an effort to land on the "orange" dot on runway 36, the pilot needed to extend…

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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