Piper PA-25-235 N9781P

Summary

On 16 August 1997 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA-25-235 registered N9781P was involved in an accident near Hinckley, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 August 1997 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Hinckley, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Hinckley (0C2)

Coordinates

41.7607, -88.6409

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-235

Registration

N9781P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI97LA261

1 person had minor injuries.

the failure of the glider pilot to properly handle his airplane during the initial takeoff climb which resulted in the tow pilot's inability to maintain control of his airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tow plane reported that after takeoff at an altitude of about 50 ft agl, he felt a 'large pull' on the tail of his airplane. He looked back and saw the glider was 'very high and off to my left side.' He then felt slack in the line at which time he thought the glider was moving back into position. At an altitude of 100' to 150' a 'violent jerk' occurred and the tow plane was forced into a nose down attitude. The tow rope was released but the airplane continued in the nose down attitude until it contacted the terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.