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19980815020949A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Conway, SC · August 15, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 15, 1998 · 09:55 local
Place
Conway, SC
Airport
Pvt
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3981Z
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA98LA226
Reported as
Piper PA18150
Reported engine
Lycoming O360A4M
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,050 total700 in this make and model500 in the last 90 days
N3981ZRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7924 · Built 1963Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Acft was involved in a banner towing operation and while attempting to pick up the banner, acft stalled and crashed at a private airport. (.4) he pilot was attempting a banner tow pick up when the left wing collapsed. Examination of the left wing forward and aft attachment fitting by the NTSB materials laboratory revealed the failure of the brackets due to corrosion and fatigue. (-23) the pilot was performing a banner tow pick up when the left wing failed. The aircraft impacted the ground approximately 33 yards from the pick-up point and came ot rest approximately 31 yards from the impact point. The pilot sustained severe injuries but is expected to fully recover. The investigation revealed severe corrosion on the forward wing lift strut attachment fitting assembly.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT WAS INVOLVED IN A BANNER TOWING OPERATION AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP THE BANNER, ACFT STALLED AND CRASHED AT A PRIVATE AIRPORT. (.4) HE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A BANNER TOW PICK UP WHEN THE LEFT WING COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WING FORWARD AND AFT ATTACHMENT FITTING BY THE NTSB MATERIALS LABORATORY REVEALED THE FAILURE OF THE BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION AND FATIGUE. (-23) THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A BANNER TOW PICK UP WHEN THE LEFT WING FAILED. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 33 YARDS FROM THE PICK-UP POINT AND CAME OT REST APPROXIMATELY 31 YARDS FROM THE IMPACT POINT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES BUT IS EXPECTED TO FULLY RECOVER. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED SEVERE CORROSION ON THE FORWARD WING LIFT STRUT ATTACHMENT FITTING ASSEMBLY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA98LA226Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportConway, SCThe total failure of the left wing forward and aft attachment fitting due to corrosion and fatigue during a banner tow pick-up resulting in a subsequent in-flight collision with terrain.Aug 15, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3981Z · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19890912056709IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Conway, SCRope that holds banner to aircraft wrapped around tailwheel on rollout. Banner broke loose. Aircraft flipped over.Sep 12, 1989 · Minor damageAccident 19810127002089ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Cascade, MTWheel caught in snow-drift on edge of runway. Ground-looped into snow-bank.Jan 27, 1981 · Substantial damage