# NTSB CEN13LA249: Cessna 172M, N8899V, Covington, LA, May 1, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 1, 2013, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Covington, LA - Coordinates: 30.444999, -89.988891 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4450&lon=-89.9889&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 24, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 86780 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA249 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86780/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86780 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA249 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during a banner towing operation, which resulted in the airplane stalling and landing hard. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 123 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During a banner towing demonstration flight for a flight examiner, the airplane stalled. The pilot applied full-forward elevator controls; however, he was unable to recover the airplane, and it subsequently landed hard. The pilot reported that he did not hear the stall warning horn sound. No anomalies were detected in the stall warning system after the accident. ## Factual narrative On May 1, 2013, about 1030 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M airplane, N8899V, descended and impacted terrain following a banner towing maneuver at the St. Tammany Regional Airport (L31), near Covington, Louisiana. The pilot who was the sole occupant sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial fuselage damage. The airplane was owned and operated by Northshore Group LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a banner towing flight. Day visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a VFR flight rules flight plan. The local flight originated from L31. The pilot stated that he had an accident on April 28, 2013, when he was flying a 170-horsepower Cessna 172N. The pilot reported that an inspector from the Baton Rouge Flight Standards District Office made an appointment with the operator and with him to review the banner towing operation and to demonstrate a pickup of the same banner and equipment that was used on April 28. Since the 170-horsepower airplane incurred substantial damage, it was agreed upon that the demonstration would be executed in N8899V, a 150-horsepower Cessna 172M. The pilot advised that most of his training had been it the 170-horsepower airplane and that he had only pulled one banner with N8899V. The pilot preflighted the airplane and found no anomalies including the stall horn. He flew a closed traffic pattern at L31 for the banner pickup on the east parallel. The pilot confirmed that he had caught the pickup rope on the first pass. He said that he "felt the tail weight down during my pull up" and he started to nose the airplane over to maintain air speed. The pilot reported that the airplane started a stall/spin to the left without any buffeting or stall horn sounding. He indicated that his window was open and he may not have heard the stall horn. The pilot attempted a recovery with "full forward elevator controls" and the airplane subsequently "landed pretty hard." The stall horn was checked after the accident and it was operational. At 0953, the recorded weather at the Slidell Airport, near Slidell, Louisiana, was: Wind 140 at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition broken clouds at 1,600 feet, broken clouds at 2,300 feet, overcast clouds at 6,000 feet; temperature 24 degrees C; dew point 21 degrees C; altimeter 29.90 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8899V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8899V-2018-02-23), registration cancelled 2018-02-23, S/N 17264257, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17264257 - Airframe hours: 3945 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Banner tow, Part 91 - Operator: Northshore Group LLC - Registered owner: Northshore Group LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: L31, Covington, LA - Destination: L31, Covington, LA - Airport: L31, St. Tammany Regional Airport - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 31, 2012; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 798.5 total, 31 in this make and model, 670.2 as pilot in command, 69.9 in the last 90 days, 18.6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,600 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: KASD, 11 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130501008019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130501008019A), May 1, 2013: Cessna 172M, Abita Springs, LA, Destroyed. Pilot was attempting a banner tow pick up demonstration for FAA as a result of a banner tow accident on April 28th, 2013, three days earlier. The airplane… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 3, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86780. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 414 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406866&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 18 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406867&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous - Stall Horn Operation Checked OK (item 3, .PDF, 619 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406865&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20-%20Stall%20Horn%20Operation%20Checked%20OK-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.