- Date
- July 5, 1991, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Berlin, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5BJChampion 7KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910705026359A
- Case key
- 11690
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
The unsuitable placement of two banners (improper planning) by other personnel causing an unintentional pickup of both banners.
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
The pilot was attempting an airborne pick up of a banner when the tail wheel caught the banner and unintentionally, a second banner. He first attempted to release both banners but they were entangled with the tailwheel. The added drag caused the airplane to lose altitude making it impossible to return to the field. The pilot concentrated on trying to find a suitable place to land, but the airplane settled into a wooded area and struck some trees, about a half-mile from the airfield.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5BJ
- Reported as
- Champion 7KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 187
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Ocean Aerial Ads Inc
- Registered owner
- Ocean Aerial Ads Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- NONE · Private
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 813 total · 22 in this make and model · 709 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SBY, 23 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.