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| Date: | Saturday 7 May 2022 |
| Time: | c. 14:05 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee B |
| Owner/operator: | Wanganui Manawatu Gliding Club |
| Registration: | ZK-CIG |
| MSN: | 25-3012 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Feilding Aerodrome, Manawatu -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Banner and glider towing |
| Departure airport: | Feilding Airport (NZFI) |
| Feilding Airport (NZFI) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA NZ |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Piper PA 25-235 Pawnee B sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees during a glider-tow takeoff attempt. The accident report states that the glider dropped its wing on the take off roll leading to it becoming out of position. once airborne the glider began to "kite" behind the tow plane. This created a loss of directional control for the tow plane and the aircraft began a steep downward decent, coupled with a slow right roll. The Pawnee impacted trees behind a row of hangers near the Runway 10 threshold. The tow pilot later succumb to his injuries.
Conclusions
1. Due to a combination high lateral tow upset during the aerotow, the tow plane departed controlled flight and the tow pilot was unable to regain control in the height available.
2. The investigation identified several likely contributory factors. Each individual factor may not result in an unrecoverable upset situation. This accident was likely the result of the combination of these factors.
3. During the take-off roll the glider’s wing contacted the grass resulting in the glider becoming out of position to the left of the tow plane.
4. At approximately 50 – 100 feet agl, the glider, while still out of position to the left of the tow plane, became out of position high relative to the tow plane.
5. During an attempt to reposition the glider into to the correct tow position, the tow rope became slack.
6. As the tow rope re-tensioned, the glider appeared to kite up while still out to the left of the tow plane, causing the tow plane to yaw excessively to the right, followed by an uncommanded roll and then pitch nose down.
7. The shorter rope resulted in an increased rate at which the upset occurred.
8. The rate at which the upset developed reduced the reaction time for either pilot to effect a release.
9. It is likely that the glider pilot continued with the plan rather than release from the tow plane due to his expectation that he could safely recover the situation and continue on to achieve the intended aims of his flight.
10. When the situation became safety-critical the glider pilot’s actions were likely affected by startle, preventing an effective response to the emergency.
11. The reason the tow pilot did not release the glider could not conclusively be determined.
12. The low altitude at which the upset occurred meant the tow pilot could not effectively respond and recover from the upset.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/one-person-seriously-injured-in-feilding-plane-and-glider-crash/E6ONPC5USNWDQ6WENLYFGMAMFA/
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/05/07/one-person-critical-after-small-plane-crashes-into-trees-in-feilding/
https://www.aviation.govt.nz/aircraft/aircraft-registration/aircraft-register-search/ShowDetails/CIG
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300582889/gliding-club-members-watch-in-horror-as-plane-crashes-near-feilding-aerodrome
https://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/001/000/001000383.jpg (photo)
https://www.aviation.govt.nz/assets/publications/fatal-accident-reports/2024-06-19-ZK-CIG-Fatal-Accident-Report.pdf
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 4 August 1968 | ZK-CIG | Airwork (NZ) Ltd | Hawarden, Canterbury | |
unk |
Images:
Feilding 16March2008
Feilding Aerodrome (NZFI), Feb 17 2019
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-May-2022 04:43 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 07-May-2022 05:15 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 07-May-2022 07:17 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-May-2022 12:44 | flyernzl | Updated [Photo] |
| 08-May-2022 05:59 | JMW69 | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Photo] |
| 17-May-2022 08:32 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 22-May-2022 05:39 | Yorkie | Updated [Total fatalities, Narrative] |
| 05-Mar-2024 06:44 | Anon. | Updated [Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Jun-2024 05:50 | FlyerNZL | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Jun-2024 05:52 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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