# Accident 20161019020979A: Stinson 108-3, Boulder City, NV, October 19, 2016 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 19, 2016, 11:45 local time - Place: Boulder City, NV - Airport: Boulder City - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.9467° N, 114.8608° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9467&lon=-114.8608&mi=10 - Aircraft: N818C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N818C-2021-04-05) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Stinson 108-3 (registry code 9230408, https://openairdocs.org/model/stinson-108-3) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (registry code 42342, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-e4b5) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: STINSON 108-3 - Reported engine: LYCOMING O-540-E4B5 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA033) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161019020979A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 10/19/2016, AT APPROXIMATELY 1145 HOURS, A SINGLE ENGINE STINSON AIRPLANE IMPACTED DESERT TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR THE BOULDER CITY AIRPORT IN BOULDER CITY, NEVADA. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD BEEN CONDUCTING BANNER TOWING OPERATIONS, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT/SOLE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAINLY INTACT WITH COMPLETE CONTROL CONTINUITY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SITUATED IN AN INVERTED POSITION WITH A BANNER TOW LINE EXTENDED OUT BEHIND THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. A PORTION OF THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER LEADING EDGE WAS FOUND TO HAVE DAMAGE WHICH WOULD APPEAR TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE FACTS PROVIDED BY THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE UNDER POWER AT THE POINT OF TOUCHDOWN. INVESTIGATORS FOUND TIRE IMPRESSIONS AND DISPLACED VEGETATION AND DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH APPEARED CONSISTENT WITH FACTS PROVIDED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT FOR N818C DEPARTED RUNWAY 15 AT BOULDER CITY AIRPORT TO PERFORM A BANNER TOWING OPERATION. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BOULDER CITY AIRPORT THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTHWEST. AS THE PILOT BEGAN TO POSITION THE AIRPLANE TO PICK UP THE BANNER THE WIND SHIFTED AND WAS NOW COMING OUT OF THE NORTH, THIS LEAD TO A DOWNWIND BANNER PICK UP. THE PILOT RELEASE THE GAFFLING HOOK FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT NOTICED THE GAFFLING HOOK APPEARED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 8 FEET SHORTER THAN NORMAL. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT NOTICED THE GAFFLING HOOK LINE WAS 8 FEET SHORTER, HE DID NOT KNOW WHY. THE REASON THE HOOK LINE APPEARED SHORTER WAS DUE TO THE FACT THE GAFFLING HOOK LINE HAD PASSED OVER THE TOP OF THE STAB INSTEAD OF UNDER THE STAB AND WITH A TAIL WIND AND 5 MISSED ATTEMPTS TO PICK UP THE BANNER, THE GAFFLING HOOK METAL LINE HAD WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE RIGHTHAND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER/ELEVATOR. ONCE THE HOOK MADE CONTACT WITN THE BANNER TOW LINE THE GAFFLING CABLE LINE TIGHTED ITSELF AROUND THE STABILIZER/ELEVATOR FORCING THE ELEVATOR TRAILING EDGE DOWN, THUS FORCING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE NOSE DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THIS FORCED THE PILOT TO LAND OFF AIRPORT, IN THE DESERT. ## 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 GAA17CA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA033), Oct 19, 2016: Stinson 108 3 (N818C), Boulder City, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure that the aerial pickup towline was not entangled around the horizontal stabilizer after the banner pickup. ## Other reports on N818C (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19970927045809I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970927045809I), Sep 27, 1997: Univar 1083 (N818C), Fullerton, CA. This report was made with the help of signed statements and interviews with pilot Mr. Michael lamoureux cert #562069454 and the owner of skyads, Mr. Robert… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.