# Accident 20170823010659A: Bellanca 8GCBC, Foley, AL, August 23, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 2017, 10:30 local time
- Place: Foley, AL
- Airport: Resort
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.4444° N, 87.6597° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4444&lon=-87.6597&mi=10
- Aircraft: N181TM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N181TM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bellanca 8GCBC (registry code 1220803, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-8gcbc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 8GCBC
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360-C2E
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 916 total, 586 in this make and model, 475 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA537](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA537) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170823010659A

## Narrative

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

A BANNER TOWING SYSTEM IS COMPRISED OF A TOW HITCH WHICH IS MOUNTED AT THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT, CABLE ASSEMBLY, AND RELEASE HANDLE LOCATED IN THE COCKPIT. THE TOW HITCH IS COMPRISED OF AN "OVER CENTER" ARM THAT SECURES THE BANNER TOW ROPE RING. THE TOW RING AND THE ARM ARE HELD IN PLACE WITH A TEMPORARY LOCKING MECHANISM (CLOSE RING) THAT IS CONTROLLED BY THE RELEASE HANDLE IN THE COCKPIT.

THE BANNER TOW LINE IS COMPRISED OF A MOUNTING RING THAT IS SECURED INTO THE TOW HITCH, A LENGTH OF ROPE, A SAFETY LINK THAT IS DESIGNED TO RELEASE THE BANNER WHEN THE DESIGN LOAD IS EXCEEDED, AND A TOW HOOK WITH THREE BARBS SPACED 120 DEGREES APART.

A BANNER IS COMPRISED OF THE LETTERING, LEAD POLE, AND TOW ROPE (MAY ALSO HAVE A SAFETY LINK INSTALLED) WHICH HAS A VERY LARGE LOOP WHICH IS SUSPENDED BETWEEN TOW POLES. THE GIANT LOOP BETWEEN THE POLES IS THE TARGET FOR THE PILOT TO FLY TO AND HAVE THE TOW HOOK SNAG THE LOOP INTO ONE OF THE BARBS.

TO PICK UP A BANNER THE PILOT SECURES THE TOW ROPE INTO THE TOW HITCH AND ROUTES THE TOW ROPE INTO THE COCKPIT AREA. ONCE AIRBORNE THE PILOT RELEASES THE TOW LINE OUT OF THE COCKPIT AND IT BECOMES IN TRAIL WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT THEN FLIES TO THE BANNER LOOP AND "HOOKS" IT WITH THE TOW HOOK. ONCE HOOKED THE BANNER PEELS OFF OF THE GROUND BACKWARDS AND THEN BECOMES VERTICAL WHEN IN TRAIL DUE TO THE WAY THE LEAD POLE IS MOUNTED TO THE BANNER.

TO DROP A BANNER THE PILOT FLIES OVER THE DROP AREA, PULLS THE RELEASE HANDLE WHICH THEN PULLS THE HITCH CLOSE RING AWAY FROM THE HITCH ARM AND THE BANNER PULLS OUT OF THE HITCH AND FALLS TO THE GROUND.

THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF, RELEASED THE BANNER TOW LINE WHICH WENT INTO TRAIL, AND THEN MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO THE BANNER LOOP. WHEN THE TOW LINE AND BANNER TOW ROPE ENGAGED (HOOKED) SOMEHOW THE ROPE AND HOOK "SPRUNG" UN-EXPECTANTLY CAUSING THE TOW ROPE AND BANNER ROPE TO WRAP AROUND THE TOW HITCH. ONCE AIRBORNE WITH THE BANNER THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE BANNER BUT THE ROPE(S) WERE SOMEHOW WRAPPED AROUND THE HITCH ASSEMBLY PREVENTING THE PILOT FROM PULLING THE RELEASE HANDLE. AT THIS POINT THE BANNER COULD NOT BE RELEASED AND THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND WITH THE BANNER STILL ATTACHED. LANDING WITH THE BANNER ATTACHED THEN CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE CAUSING IT TO FLIP ONTO ITS NOSE THEN ONTO IT'S BACK. POST ACCIDENT CHECKS ON THE BANNER RELEASE HANDLE AND CABLE WERE COMPLETED AND PROPER OPERATION CONFIRMED. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF IMPROPER AIRCRAFT OPERATION WITH THE TAKE OFF OR THE TOW HOOK RELEASE.

## 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 GAA17CA537](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA537), Aug 23, 2017: Bellanca 8GCBC (N181TM), Foley, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The ground crew’s incorrect hook up of the banner, which resulted in a nose-over.

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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