Piper PA-25-235 N82451

Summary

On 20 June 2004 at about 14:55 local time, a Piper PA-25-235 registered N82451 was involved in an accident near Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 June 2004 at 14:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Norton Field (PVT)

Coordinates

30.2903, -87.6717

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-235

Registration

N82451

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

Gulf Shores → Gulf Shores

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04CA135

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed that resulted in a stall and the subsequent collision with the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he departed the grass strip and flew two separate banner flights along the beach. After dropping the second banner off he proceeded around the pattern to land on the grass strip. On the base leg of the pattern, the pilot states "a high enough speed was not kept and the right wing stalled and 'broke out' forcing the plane to the right and into a nose down attitude". The plane impacted the trees in a nose down attitude and came to a stop upon hitting the ground. According to a witness, the airplane was seen on its base to final leg when the aircraft began going behind the tree line in a 90-degree bank and a 60-degree nose down position. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane during the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.