# NTSB GAA18CA503: Champion 8GCBC, N88287, Elberta, AL, August 22, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 22, 2018, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Elberta, AL - Coordinates: 30.411111, -87.578887 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4111&lon=-87.5789&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 26, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 98136 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA503 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98136/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98136 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA503 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat during a low-power setting approach in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Ice/rain protection system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023000): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023000/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: powerplant parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062050): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062050/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 81 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062050/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Approach: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Approach: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during a banner towing operation, the ground crew attempted to connect the banner to the hook, but the banner did not connect and became caught on the tailwheel. The pilot made several approaches over the field to dislodge the banner. He reported that, during his last attempt to dislodge the banner, he moved the throttle to idle and made a normal descent to drop the banner. The banner remained caught on the tailwheel, and he stopped the descent and then moved the throttle from idle to full power. However, the engine sputtered, and the power did not increase. He then visually and physically confirmed that the mixture was in the full-rich position and that the primer was in the closed-and-locked position. He attempted moving the throttle from idle to full power two more times with no subsequent change in engine power. The pilot subsequently made a forced landing on the southwest corner of the field, and the airplane collided with uneven terrain and trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During a postaccident interview, the pilot reported that, during the low-power setting approaches to release the banner, he did not use carburetor heat. The pilot reported that the temperature about the time of the accident was 80°F. The METAR at the nearest airport reported that the dew point about the time of the accident was 72°F. The relative humidity was about 77%. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of serious carburetor icing. Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 recommends the use of carburetor heat when operating in conditions of visible moisture or high humidity while on approach with low-power settings. The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat likely resulted in the accumulation of carburetor icing during the low-power setting approaches and led to the partial loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during a banner towing operation, the ground crew attempted to connect the banner to the hook, but the banner did not connect and became affixed to the tailwheel. The pilot made several approaches over the banner field to dislodge the banner. He reported that during his last attempt to dislodge the banner, he moved the throttle to idle and made a normal descent to drop the banner. The banner remained affixed to the tailwheel, and he stopped his descent, and then he moved the throttle from idle to full power. The engine sputtered with no increase in engine power. He then visually and physically confirmed that the mixture was in the full rich position, and that the primer was in the closed and locked position. He attempted two more iterations of moving the throttle from idle to full power, with no subsequent change to engine power. The pilot made a forced landing on the southwest corner of the field, and the airplane collided with uneven terrain and trees. The airplane sustained substantial to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the temperature about the time of the accident was 80°F. The METAR at the nearest airport reported that the dew point about the time of the accident was 72°F. The relative humidity was about 77 percent. During a post-accident interview, the pilot reported that he did not use carburetor heat during the banner towing operation. He reported that during the multiple patterns to release the banner, carburetor heat was not used during the low power setting approaches to release the banner. According to the FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, the use of carburetor heat is recommended when operating in conditions of visible moisture or high humidity, while on approach with low power settings. The FAA Carburetor Icing Probability Chart shows that when operating at idle, with the above-mentioned atmospheric conditions, that the likelihood for carburetor icing specified a serious icing probability. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N88287](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N88287), registered now, S/N 103-74, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Champion 8GCBC (No Series) - Registry model: [Bellanca 8GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-8gcbc) (registry code 1220803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 103-74 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 2213.4 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Banner tow, Part 91 - Operator: Coastal Air Sign Llc. - Registered owner: Coastal Air Sign Llc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 17, 2018 - Departed: JKA, Gulf Shores, AL - Destination: JKA, Gulf Shores, AL - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; last flight review August 17, 2017; seat: front; flight hours: 1,266.5 total, 542.5 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KNPA, 14 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 20180822016019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180822016019A), Aug 22, 2018: Bellanca 8GCBC, Elberta, AL, Substantial damage. Airman caught banner in tailwheel during pick up. Airman attempted to release banner back onto sod airstrip but was unsuccessful. Airman then attempted to free… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 14, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98136. 5.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472878&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photographs (item 2, .PDF, 2 photos, 290 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472879&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photographs-Master.PDF - SAIB CE-09-35 (item 3, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472880&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=SAIB%20CE-09-35-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record (item 4, .PDF, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472881&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record-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.