FTW94LA012

The pilot missed the banner pickup on the first pass. He stated that as he turned downwind in a 60 degree bank, he applied 'hard left rudder' to check the grapple for tangles and the airplane entered a stall. Witnesses stated that the angle of bank was 90 degrees and the altitude was less than 100 feet AGL. They observed the airplane roll back wings level, then enter a right nose down attitude until impact. No evidence of pre-impact engine power loss was found during the investigation.

On October 15, 1993, approximately 1730 central daylight time, a Cessna A188, N8020V, was destroyed by impact and post-crash fire at Spinks Airport in Burleson, Texas. The airplane, flown by a commercial pilot, had taken off on what was to have been a local banner towing flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot received serious injuries.

According to the operator's chief pilot, the pilot was attempting to do a banner pickup, adjacent to the runway. He stated that the pilot missed the banner on the first attempt and went around. The pilot stated that he contacted the tower for a second pass and entered a left turn for a downwind to the north. He further stated that he banked the airplane about 60 degrees in order to look at the grapple hook to make sure that it was not tangled. He said that he had to apply "hard left rudder to get the tail around and it looked good. Next thing I saw the airplane head into stall sinking and I crash landed." Witnesses estimated the bank angle at 90 degrees and the altitude as less than 100 feet AGL. The airplane was subsequently observed to roll wings level and then nose down in a right wing down attitude and cartwheel. The witnesses stated that the engine appeared to be operating normally throughout the flight.

Following recovery, the engine was disassembled and examined with the FAA present. No evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction was found. Examination of the propeller indicated that the attachment bolts had sheared and that both blades exhibited forward bending, twisting, gouges, and chordwise striations.