# NTSB IAD96LA059: Piper PA-25-235, N8510L, Waynesville, OH, April 10, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 10, 1996, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Waynesville, OH - Coordinates: 39.530094, -84.080429 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5301&lon=-84.0804&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 31, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28034 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD96LA059 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28034/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA059 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the accident aircraft during the landing roll. Factors were the wet portion of the grass runway and the pilot's selection of a landing runway with a 10 knot quartering tailwind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - grass (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - wet (contributing factor) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he returned to land at the grass airstrip after a glider tow, and his approach and touchdown were normal. During the landing roll the airplane encountered a soft wet portion of the runway, '...the tail came up and [the airplane] nosed over.' The pilot reported that there was a 10 knot quartering tail wind while landing. The FAA Inspector stated that the grass runway was well maintained and mowed, and the wet section was not visually evident prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative On April 10, 1996, at about 1245 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA25-235, N8510L, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during the landing roll at Caesar Creek Gliderport, in Waynesville, Ohio. The pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and no flight plan was filed. The glider tow flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Waynesville, Ohio, at 1230 eastern daylight time. The pilot stated that he took off with a glider in tow, and the glider "...got off at 2000 [feet above ground level] AGL." The pilot reported that he returned to land, made a normal approach, and landed "...with a slight quartering tailwind." He stated that when the airplane encountered a wet spot on grass runway, the tail came up, the airplane nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that he landed on runway 9, and the winds were out of 300 degrees at 10 knots. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector stated that the grass runway appeared to be well maintained and mowed. She also stated that the soft, wet portion of the field was not visually evident except where the accident airplane tires sank into the grass. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8510L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8510L), registered now, S/N 25-4925, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-25-235 - Registry model: [Piper PA-25-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (registry code 7102504) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-4925 - Airframe hours: 4213 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Registered owner: Soaring Society Of Dayton - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 2, 1906, 20 hours before - Departed: 2OH9 - Airport: 2OH9, Caesars Creek Gliderport, runway 9, 2,800 × 200 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 6,265 total, 295 in this make and model, 6,200 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F ## 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 19960410006789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960410006789A), Apr 10, 1996: Piper PA25235, Waynesville, OH, Substantial damage. After glider tow landed downwind on wet grass runway. Had hit a soft spot. Prior nosing over. Wind caught tail up. (-23) midway through landing rollout, grass… ## Other investigations on N8510L (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 ATL89LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89LA092), Feb 19, 1989: Piper PA-25-235 (N8510L), Waynesville, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT DELAYED HIS LANDING/TOUCHDOWN, MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE OF THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND DID NOT GO AROUND. THE SLICK/THAWING RUNWAY CONDITIONS AND THE FENCES WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. 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.