Piper PA-25-260 N8578L

Summary

On 17 June 2000 at about 21:31 local time, a Piper PA-25-260 registered N8578L was involved in an accident near Coleville, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 June 2000 at 21:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Coleville, California, United States

Coordinates

38.4707, -119.4802

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-260

Registration

N8578L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Minden

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00LA233

Nobody was injured.

the tow plane pilot's inadequate airplane performance calculations.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was attempting to tow a sailplane out from a field. The sailplane pilot had lost lift and made a precautionary landing, and contacted the tow plane company for assistance. After landing the tow plane in the open field, both pilots paced off about 15/1,600 feet, which the tow pilot estimated would be sufficient for takeoff at 5,300 feet msl. The density altitude was calculated to be about 7,903 feet msl. During the takeoff climb the tow plane collided with a fence. The sailplane released, overflew the tow plane about 2 to 4 feet, and collided with another fence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.