20060804031269A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-25 · August 4, 2006

Date: August 4, 2006 · 12:40 local
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6471Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC06LA193
Reported as: Piper PA25
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,154 total65 in this make and model78 in the last 90 days

N6471ZRegistration cancelled Apr 7, 2021 · Piper PA-25S/N 25-673 · Built 1962 Airframe modelPiper PA-25 Engine modelLycoming 0-360-A1DReciprocating

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.

(-23) After pilot dropped banner aircraft hit trees and crashed. Unable to determine correction action because no interview of pilot could be completed due to the injuries sustained in accident. (-23 amendment) during a banner drop the pilot performed a reduction of power so as to start a descent to a predetermined spot and altitude above the field. When he reached that spot he added full power and the engine did not respond to full power. At this time he dropped the banner, but the aircraft was not producing enough power to sustain level flight. The aircraft descended to a point where the right wing struck branches of a tree and spun the aircraft to the right where it impacted the ground in a vertical position. The aircraft caught fire shortly after and was destroyed. I discussed the procedures for dropping banners and whether he used carburetor heat. He could not be sure that he had done so.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER PILOT DROPPED BANNER AIRCRAFT HIT TREES AND CRASHED. UNABLE TO DETERMINE CORRECTION ACTION BECAUSE NO INTERVIEW OF PILOT COULD BE COMPLETED DUE TO THE INJURIES SUSTAINED IN ACCIDENT. (-23 AMENDMENT) DURING A BANNER DROP THE PILOT PERFORMED A REDUCTION OF POWER SO AS TO START A DESCENT TO A PREDETERMINED SPOT AND ALTITUDE ABOVE THE FIELD. WHEN HE REACHED THAT SPOT HE ADDED FULL POWER AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND TO FULL POWER. AT THIS TIME HE DROPPED THE BANNER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT PRODUCING ENOUGH POWER TO SUSTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TO A POINT WHERE THE RIGHT WING STRUCK BRANCHES OF A TREE AND SPUN THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT WHERE IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A VERTICAL POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE SHORTLY AFTER AND WAS DESTROYED. I DISCUSSED THE PROCEDURES FOR DROPPING BANNERS AND WHETHER HE USED CARBURETOR HEAT. HE COULD NOT BE SURE THAT HE HAD DONE SO.

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 NYC06LA193Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEgg Harbor Twp, NJThe pilot's failure to utilize carburetor heat during the descent, which resulted in the formation of carburetor ice and subsequent engine failure. A factor in the accident was the carburetor icing conditions.Aug 4, 2006 · Substantial damage