# Accident 19980815020949A: Piper PA18150, Conway, SC, August 15, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 15, 1998, 09:55 local time
- Place: Conway, SC
- Airport: Pvt
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7896° N, 79.1500° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7896&lon=-79.1500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3981Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3981Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18150
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4M
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,050 total, 700 in this make and model, 500 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA226) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980815020949A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA98LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA226), Aug 15, 1998: Piper PA-18-150 (N3981Z), Conway, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.

## Other reports on N3981Z (2)

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

- [Incident 19890912056709I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890912056709I), Sep 12, 1989: Piper PA18150 (N3981Z), Conway, SC, Minor damage. Rope that holds banner to aircraft wrapped around tailwheel on rollout. Banner broke loose. Aircraft flipped over.
- [Accident 19810127002089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810127002089A), Jan 27, 1981: Piper PA18150 (N3981Z), Cascade, MT, Substantial damage. Wheel caught in snow-drift on edge of runway. Ground-looped into snow-bank.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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