- Date
- June 28, 2003, 18:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Atlantic City, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4133YBellanca 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Philadelphia FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030628017529A
- Case key
- 57324
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to properly secure an aerial advertising banner to the outside of the airplane.
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
According to the pilot, a rolled up, 20- by 60-foot billboard banner that he had tied with ropes to the outside of the airplane, came loose in flight and inflated. The airplane was then unable to maintain altitude, even with full power, and stalled just prior to touchdown in a marsh.
Factual narrative
On June 29, 2003, about 1820 eastern daylight time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N4133Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a marsh about 2 miles north of Atlantic City Municipal Airport/Bader Field (AIY), Atlantic City, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. No flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at Monmouth Executive Airport (BLM), Farmingdale, New Jersey, about 1800. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the positioning flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In a written statement, the pilot said that cause of the accident was "fairly evident." A rolled up, 20- by 60-foot billboard banner that he had tied with ropes to the outside of the airplane had come loose in flight and inflated. That created a large parachute effect, and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude, even with full power. The airplane stalled prior to landing in the marsh.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the fuselage and both wings were substantially damaged.
The pilot reported a total of 897 flight hours, of which, 68 were in make and model.
The pilot also reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane or engine.
Weather reported at Atlantic City International Airport (ACY), Atlantic City, New Jersey, about 6 miles northwest, at 1554, was wind from 110 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and clear skies. The temperature was 79 degrees F, and the dewpoint was 61 degrees F, with a barometric pressure setting of 30.10 inches HG.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4133Y
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 952-76
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- United Aerial Advertising of Delaware
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AIY · Atlantic City M, NJ
- Destination
- BLM · Farmingdale, NJ
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
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 897 total · 68 in this make and model · 23 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- ACY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4133Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.