- Date
- February 14, 1998, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clearwater, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N49364Aviat A-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 30, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980214006079A
- Case key
- 3968
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering to pick up a banner, which led to a stall, loss of altitude, and collision with the water.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he made a series of 'patterns' to prepare for a banner pickup off of a pontoon boat. He began the pattern at 400 feet mean sea level and descended to 100 feet. On his last pattern, the pilot turned onto the base leg at 100 feet. He stated the airspeed seemed slower than the indicated 65 miles per hour. The pilot stated the left wing then dipped, and the airplane began a descent. The left wingtip struck the water, and the plane cart-wheeled. According to an FAA inspector, the pilot was making a left turn at an altitude of 100 feet when the left wing stalled. The airplane then rotated left, lost altitude, and struck the water. The FAA inspector also noted the airplane was over maximum gross weight.
Factual narrative
On February 14, 1998, about 1330 eastern standard time, a Aviat, Inc. A-1, N49364, impacted the water while attempting to pickup a banner for towing in Clearwater, Florida. The airplane was operated by Aerial Billboard Corporation under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Clearwater, Florida at 1315.
According to the pilot, he made a series of "patterns" to prepare for a banner pickup off a pontoon boat. He began the pattern at 400 feet mean sea level (msl) and descended to 100 feet. On his last pattern, the pilot turned onto the base leg at 100 feet, and he stated the airspeed seemed slower than the indicated 65 miles per hour (mph). The pilot stated the left wing then dipped, and the airplane began a descent. The left wingtip struck the water, and the airplane cart-wheeled.
According to the FAA, the pilot was making a left turn at an altitude of 100 feet when the left wing stalled. The airplane then rotated left, lost altitude, and struck the water. The FAA inspector also noted the airplane was over maximum gross weight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49364
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1238
- Airframe hours
- 1,135
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C1G, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aerial Billboard Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 21, 1998 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- CLW · FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 825 total · 219 in this make and model · 649 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIE, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.