Piper PA-25-235 accident near Peoria, AZ
On May 11, 1995, a Piper PA-25-235 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Peoria, AZ. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 11, 1995
- Place
- Peoria, AZ
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.650°N, 112.239°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03487
NTSB summary
On May 11, 1995, at 1420 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-25- 235, N7403Z, was destroyed by ground impact and postcrash fire after takeoff at Peoria, Arizona. The aircraft was owned and operated by the Turf Soaring School and was performing a glider tow operation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The certified commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from the Turf glider port at 1420 on the day of the accident. The pilot of the glider stated that he was approximately 40 feet agl when he saw a "dust devil" approaching from his left. He stated that the tow plane pilot turned left 15 to 20 degrees in the direction of the phenomena. He said he found his glider gaining altitude until it leveled off at 800 feet agl. He stated that, during the ascent, he lost sight of the tow plane and released the tow line. Another tow plane pilot stated that, while on climb out from runway 23L, the tow plane encountered a "dust devil" at between 100 and 200 feet agl. The tow plane pilot was observed to have leveled his aircraft attitude as he passed through the phenomena. He then saw the glider encounter the "dust devil" and begin to gain altitude until the tow rope formed a 30- to 45-degree angle above the tow plane in reference to the tow plane's longitudinal axis. Witnesses several hundred feet away on the ground observed the aircraft as it approached their position. They stated that they saw the tow plane appear to glide toward them, then abruptly nose over and impact the ground in a 30- to 40-degree nose-low
Probable cause
the pilot's inflight loss of control due to his delay in releasing the glider after the towed glider experienced an unplanned altitude gain on takeoff when it encountered a dust devil.
More accidents in AZ
- De Havilland DHC-6-300, Sep 27, 1989
- Cessna 402C, Jun 19, 1992
- Piper PA-31-350, Aug 17, 1983
- Piper PA-31-350, Feb 13, 1995
- Cessna 421C, Sep 2, 1995
Browse: Arizona · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
