FAA, NTSB Investigating

For the second time in less than six months, tragedy has struck the Turf Soaring School in Peoria (AZ). This time, one person in a tow plane was killed.

The dead pilot was identified as a 24-year old employee of the school. Peoria Police said the Piper Pawnee was towing a glider when it apparently went vertical, nose in the air, before plunging to the ground. The pilot of the towed sailplane was able to detach before the Pawnee impacted the ground.

As ANN reported in December, another accident involving a glider and a single-engine aircraft not affiliated with the school claimed the lives of four people. As in the previous case, the FAA and NTSB are investigating.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 4602Y    Make/Model: PA25   Description: PA-25 Pawnee
 Date: 06/13/2004   Time: 2304

 Event Type: Accident  Highest Injury: Fatal   Mid Air: N  Missing: N
 Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
 City: PEORIA           State: AZ  Country: US

DESCRIPTION
 ACFT WHILE TOWING A GLIDER, STALLED, RELEASED THE GLIDER, AND NOSED INTO
 THE GROUND, ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, ACFT WAS DESTROYED,
 PEORIA, AZ

INJURY DATA   Total Fatal:  1
         # Crew:  1   Fat:  1   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Pass:  0    Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Grnd:        Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED                               
                                          
                            

OTHER DATA
 Activity: Pleasure   Phase: Maneuver   Operation: General Aviation

 Departed: PEORIA, AZ         Dep Date:  Dep. Time:  
 Destination: PEORIA, AZ        Flt Plan: NONE     Wx Briefing: N
 Last Radio Cont: UNK
 Last Clearance: UNK

 FAA FSDO: SCOTTSDALE, AZ (WP07)        Entry date: 06/14/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov