# NTSB MIA01LA083: Piper J5A, N35288, Hollywood, FL, February 15, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 15, 2001, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Hollywood, FL - Coordinates: 25.990156, -80.2192 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9902&lon=-80.2192&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 51766 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01LA083 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51766/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA083 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper inflight planning/decision and inadequate fuel consumption calculations that resulted in fuel exhaustion and substantial damage to the aircraft as a result of a hard landing during the emergency descent/landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing ## Analysis The pilot stated that the ground crew had inadvertently added an additional forty letters to the tow, which required a higher cruise power setting. The pilot further stated that in addition, company dispatch asked that he attempt to overtake another company aircraft and attract the pilot's attention, and that effort took an additional 20 minutes of flight, at a higher power setting. The pilot said that when he returned to the airport to drop the banner, and he applied power during the maneuver, the aircraft engine ceased operating, and the aircraft landed hard, incurring substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel in the fuel tank had been depleted. ## Factual narrative On February 15, 2001, about 1515 eastern standard time, a Piper J5A, N35288, registered to and operated by Aerial Sign Company Inc, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 banner towing flight, landed hard after the engine ceased operating while dropping off a banner at North Perry Airport, Hollywood, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from North Perry Airport, the same day, about 1200. The pilot stated that the ground crew had inadvertently added an additional 40 letters which required that a higher cruise power setting be used during the flight. The pilot further stated that in addition to towing the banner, the company dispatch had communicated to him that they had been unable to reach another company aircraft in the area, and asked that he attempt to overtake that aircraft and visually communicate with the pilot. The pilot said that it took an additional 20 minutes of flying at a higher power setting to overtake the company aircraft. After overtaking the other aircraft, the pilot said that he returned to the airport to drop the banner, and when he added power during the banner drop, the aircraft engine ceased operating. The aircraft impacted the sod in the northwest corner of the airport, and incurred substantial damage. According to the operator, postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel in the aircraft fuel tank had been depleted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N35288](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N35288), registered now, S/N 5-605, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper J5A - Registry model: [Piper J5A](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j5a) (registry code 7100702) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5-605 - Airframe hours: 3691 - Engines: Textron Lyc. O-360-A2E 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aerial Sign Company Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2000, 36 hours before - Departed: HWO, Pembroke Pines, FL - Airport: HWO, North Perry Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 30, 2001; seat: front; flight hours: 7,000 total, 200 in this make and model, 6,950 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 10 knots - Visibility: 12 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: MIA, 15 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 20010215003479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010215003479A), Feb 15, 2001: Piper J5A, Hollywood, FL, Substantial damage. (-19)On February 15, 2001, about 1520 EST, a Piper J5A, N35288, registered to and operated by aerial sign company inc., as a title 14 CFR part 91 banner towing… 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.