What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 22, 2007, the pilot privacy data omitted was attempting a banner pick up on the south side of Sanford airport. After missing the banner pick up, witnesses said the aircraft went into a steep climb while executing a high banked turn to the left at approximately 200 feet AGL. The aircraft appeared to stall and fall to the ground nose first. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot suffered fatal injuries. The pilot had significant experience in banner tow operations with a Grumman G164 ag-cat, but only 22 hours with the lower powered champion 8GCBC. The pilot suffered fatal injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged. The configuration of the damage and associated ground scars were typical of a stall/spin event.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 22, 2007, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ATTEMPTING A BANNER PICK UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SANFORD AIRPORT. AFTER MISSING THE BANNER PICK UP, WITNESSES SAID THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO A STEEP CLIMB WHILE EXECUTING A HIGH BANKED TURN TO THE LEFT AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO STALL AND FALL TO THE GROUND NOSE FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. THE PILOT HAD SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE IN BANNER TOW OPERATIONS WITH A GRUMMAN G164 AG-CAT, BUT ONLY 22 HOURS WITH THE LOWER POWERED CHAMPION 8GCBC. THE PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE CONFIGURATION OF THE DAMAGE AND ASSOCIATED GROUND SCARS WERE TYPICAL OF A STALL/SPIN EVENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.