- Date
- July 4, 1986, 18:17 local (22:17 UTC)
- Place
- Ionia, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4811YPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860704030399A
- Case key
- 13303
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
During initial banner pick-up of a banner towing operation the tow cable fouled the rudder control mechanism. The rudder was jammed and the banner release mechanism failed to operate. The aircraft impacted the ground left wing first and was substantially damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4811Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-4592
- Airframe hours
- 1,159
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Benz Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1986 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- Y70 · Ionia, MI
- Airport
- Y70 · Ionia County
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
- 19
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 809 total · 28 in this make and model · 697 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 15 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.