# NTSB MIA00LA248: Bellanca 8KCAB, N57648, Niceville, FL, August 25, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 25, 2000, 12:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Niceville, FL - Coordinates: 30.529607, -86.479316 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5296&lon=-86.4793&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50088 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA00LA248 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50088/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA248 ## Probable cause The pilots failure to drop the advertising banner prior to a precautionary landing resulting in the aircraft stalling and landing hard. Contributing to the accident was the pilots failure to maintain airspeed during climb after banner pickup resulting in the aircraft entered the early stages of a stall, and the pilots failure to recognize the early stages of a stall and initiate recovery. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - emergency procedure - not followed, pilot in command - glider/tow release - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - precautionary landing - attempted, pilot in command - airspeed - not possible, pilot in command - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot stated that while climbing after banner pickup, the aircraft began a strange vibration and aileron control seemed sloppy. He turned back to the airport and planned to drop the banner if the problems cleared up. The problems continued and he did not drop the banner. As he approached the runway he applied full engine power in an attempt float in until the banner settled. The float did not occur and the aircraft landed hard. Postcrash examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector and wreckage recovery personnel showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the aircraft flight controls, structure, or engine. ## Factual narrative On August 25, 2000, about 1245 central daylight time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, N57648, registered to an individual, crashed at Ruckel Airport, Niceville, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 banner towing flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot received minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated he departed on runway 36, flew out about 3/4 of a mile, circled back toward the airport, and entered left base to pick up a banner. He turned on final approach for banner pickup, and established airspeed at 80 mph and a 20-30 degree approach angle. He caught the ropes and started a climb. The banner engaged at about 200 feet agl. He then relaxed the pitch attitude and turned slightly to the left. He headed to the southeast and established airspeed at 55 mph. He then pulled the nose up to start a climb and then felt a strange vibration, similar to wing flaps being lowered. Airspeed also bled down to about 45 mph. He lowered the nose and checked the banner, which looked normal. He applied full engine power and the ailerons seemed sloppy. Small changes would cause the aircraft to pitch and roll inconsistently. Gaining airspeed did not improve the situation. He turned right back toward the runway. The elevator and rudder were responding properly. He planned to release the banner as he descended below the tree line if the control problems cleared up. The control problems did not clear up and he elected to land with the banner. He then turned to the left and lined up for a landing on runway 18. He was near the end of runway 18, and as he rotated, he added full engine power trying to float in till the banner settled to the ground. The float never occurred and the aircraft landed hard and collapsed the landing gear. The right wing struck the ground and the aircraft nosed down. The banner equipment was intact after the accident. A witness stated that after picking up the banner, the pilot initiated a right turn back toward the airport as if he was going to drop the banner or land. The aircraft was in a position where there was not a lot of runway distance remaining. The pilot did not release the banner and kept the airplane in a level attitude until it was a few feet above the ground. The aircraft then made a left turn of about 20-25 degrees, flared, and stalled, with a more vertical descent. The left wing appeared to be lower at this point and the aircraft hit and bounced one time. Another witness stated that when the aircraft was about 15 feet above the runway in the landing flare, the aircraft turned a little to the left and the nose dropped slightly. The aircraft descended and hit left wing first and then bounced onto the right wing. Postcrash examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector and wreckage recovery personnel showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the aircraft flight controls, structure, or engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: N57648 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Bellanca 8KCAB - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 126-74 - Airframe hours: 1083 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320-E1A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: Charles Clayton Burkhart - Registered owner: Tom Endress - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 12, 2000, 65 hours before - Departed: FL17 - Airport: FL17, Ruckel Airport, runway 18, 3,300 × 75 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 3,083 total, 663 in this make and model, 3,043 as pilot in command, 503 in the last 90 days, 165 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 16 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: VPS, 5 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 20000825015269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000825015269A), Aug 25, 2000: Bbavia 8KCAB, Niceville, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot departed Ruckel field to the north on a hot summer day with full fuel in a Bellanca decathlon. After a down wind take off to the north, the… 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.