# NTSB CEN25LA299: Piper J5A, N35025, Grenada, MS, July 23, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 23, 2025, 08:15 local (13:15 UTC) - Place: Grenada, MS · Grenada Municipal Airport - Coordinates: 33.839833, -89.802417 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8398&lon=-89.8024&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 9, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Jackson FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200676 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA299 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200676/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200676 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA299 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the flight and improper decision to continue with a takeoff after the airplane swerved off the runway. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor and student were conducting full-stop landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight instructor reported that the wind was calm throughout the local flight in the traffic pattern. During the final landing, upon touchdown the airplane swerved about 60° left of the runway heading. The flight instructor immediately took control of the airplane, but it swerved 90° to the right and departed off the right side of the runway. At that time, the flight instructor believed that the airplane had sufficient airspeed of 35-40 mph and an open grass area ahead to safely takeoff. However, the airplane entered an area of waist-high grass about 60 yards before a chain link fence that resulted in increased drag on the airplane. The flight instructor reduced engine power to idle shortly before the airplane struck the fence and came to a stop upright in a soybean field past the fence. The airplane’s wing struts and an engine mount tube were substantially damaged during collision with the fence. The flight instructor did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N35025](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N35025), registered now, S/N 5535, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J5A - Registry model: [Piper J5A](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j5a) (registry code 7100702) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5535 - Year built: 1941 - Airframe hours: 2934 - Engines: Continental C85-12-F 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 25, 2025, 29 hours before - Departed: GNF, Grenada, MS - Destination: GNF, Grenada, MS - Airport: GNF, Grenada Municipal Airport, runway 31, 7,000 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 63; injuries: none; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 30.2 total, 30.2 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 22; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: rear; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 833.7 total, 35 in this make and model, 564.6 as pilot in command, 119.1 in the last 90 days, 53 in the last 30 days, 5.6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: KGWO, 25 nm away - METAR: METAR KGWO 231253Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 29/24 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP179 T02890244= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250723009789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250723009789A), Jul 23, 2025: Piper J5A, Grenada, MS, Substantial damage. Both the CFII and the student reported that this occcurred after 7 uneventful full stop landings and take-offs. Almost immediately after lifting off the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200676. 5.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19707834&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20NTSB_Form_6120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 935 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19708159&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20(CEN25LA299)-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.