- Date
- January 29, 1994, 14:02 local (19:02 UTC)
- Place
- New Smyrna Bch, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N57436Bellanca 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940129001159A
- Case key
- 37486
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-in-command's failure to maintain airspeed (VSO) while maneuvering, resulting in an in-flight loss of control (inadvertent stall) and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain.
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
The commercial pilot was observed by witnessess attempting a banner pickup. The airplane flew through the pickup poles too low, the pickup hook missed the pickup bridle, and the bridle wrapped around the tailwheel. The airplane pitched up about 40 degrees, an increase in engine power was heard just before the airplane stalled, rolled left, and collided with the terrain.
Factual narrative
On January 29, 1994, about 1402 eastern standard time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N57436, registered to David M. Upson, leased to Air Repair, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 banner tow flight, crashed in the vicinity of New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The airplane was destroyed. The commercial pilot sustained a serious injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport about 2 minutes before the accident.
Witnesses stated they observed the airplane attempt a banner pickup. The airplane flew through the pickup poles too low, the pickup hook missed the banner pickup bridle, and the bridle wrapped around the tailwheel. The airplane pitched up about 40 degrees, a power application was heard just before the airplane stalled, rolled left, and collided with the terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57436
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 504-73
- Airframe hours
- 1,490
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Air Repair
- Registered owner
- Air Repair
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 30, 1993 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- 34J
- Airport
- 34J · New Smyrna Beach Muni
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,650 total · 4 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 65 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAB, 6 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.