# NTSB ERA15LA358: Bellanca 7KCAB, N86705, Manteo, NC, September 14, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 14, 2015, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Manteo, NC - Coordinates: 35.913333, -75.701667 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9133&lon=-75.7017&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 29, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 91978 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15LA358 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91978/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91978 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA358 ## Probable cause The inadvertent lodging of the banner-tow cable between the right elevator and horizontal stabilizer after the pilot threw the grapple hook out the window, which resulted in the loss of pitch control and the airplane’s subsequent impact with water. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md?model=1220701), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unintentional use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000/cases.md?model=1220701), [All aircraft, 63 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220); cases with it: [Bellanca 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=1220701), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=1220701), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333); cases with it: [Bellanca 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md?model=1220701), [All aircraft, 410 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was conducting a banner-tow operation. A witness reported that, after the airplane departed, the pilot threw the grapple hook out the window and that the hook then "whipped" down and then up and that the cable then became lodged between the right elevator and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot then picked up the banner, and, as the load imparted to the cable by the banner increased, the cable pulled taught until the grappling hook cable became lodged between the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that the elevator then became stuck in the nose-down position, which resulted in her inability to further control the airplane's pitch. The airplane then descended and impacted water left of the runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane confirmed that the banner-tow cable had become lodged between the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. When the cable was removed, control continuity to the flight control surfaces was confirmed. ## Factual narrative On September 14, 2015, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, N86705, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the water in the vicinity of Dare County Regional Airport (MQI), Manteo, North Carolina. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local banner tow flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to an eyewitness, after the airplane departed, the pilot threw the grapple hook out of the left window in order to pick up the banner. The tow hook "whipped" down and then up into the right horizontal stabilizer and the cable became lodged in between the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator. The pilot then proceeded to pick up the banner, kept the airplane wings level and it sounded like the engine power increased. After picking up the banner, and as the load imparted to the cable by the banner increased, it pulled taught until the grappling hook lodged itself between the horizontal stabilizer and the elevator. The pilot reported that the due to the banner tow grappling hook becoming lodged between the elevator control surface and the horizontal stabilizer, the elevator was stuck in the down position. The airplane subsequently descended and impacted water located to the left of the runway. A post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that the wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. In addition, the banner tow grapple hook line was wrapped around the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator of the airplane. When the line was removed, control continuity was confirmed to the flight control surfaces. Furthermore, there were no devices installed on the airplane or the tow line that would help prevent the grapple line from entangling in the rudder or elevator. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane was manufactured in 1974 and registered to a corporation in 2014. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-320 series engine. According to the airplane maintenance records, the most recent 100-hour inspection was signed off on June 26, 2015, and at that time the airplane had accumulated 4,442 hours of total flight time. According to the pilot, she held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land, and a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single engine. Her most recent second-class medical certificate was issued on August 30, 2015. In addition, she reported 5,000 hours of total flight time, of which, 2,000 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane, and 3,000 hours were accumulated performing banner tow operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N86705](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N86705-2018-04-02), registration cancelled 2018-04-02, S/N 442-74, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7KCAB (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Bellanca 7KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7kcab) (registry code 1220701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 442-74 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 2686 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320 Series 150 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Banner tow, Part 91 - Operator: Obx Airplanes LLC - Registered owner: Obx Airplanes LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 31, 2015, 35 hours before - Departed: MQI, Manteo, NC - Destination: MQI, Manteo, NC - Airport: MQI, Dare County Rgnl, runway 23, 4,305 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: serious; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2015; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 5,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 4,900 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 2.5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: MQI ## 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 20150914016849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150914016849A), Sep 14, 2015: Bellanca 7KCAB, Manteo, NC, Substantial damage. Aircraft took off parallel to runway 23 to fly pattern for banner pickup. Once airborne, the PIC unsecured the banner tow cable at cockpit and dropped in… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 6, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91978. 4.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439841&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 748 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439842&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 3, .PDF, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439843&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF - Excerpt of Maintenace Records (item 4, .PDF, 192 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439844&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20of%20Maintenace%20Records-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 5, .PDF, 747 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439845&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 6, .PDF, 162 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439846&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.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.