- Date
- September 11, 1994, 14:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Panama City Bch, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N53925Bellanca 8GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 3, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940911036949A
- Case key
- 37602
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 see and avoid the banner.
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 pilot approached the airport from the south and dropped a banner. He then flew northbound, reversed course, and set up an approach to land to the south. While on final approach he realized he was too high and initiated a go-around. During the go-around the right main landing gear became entangled with another banner that was set up for a pickup. The airplane nosed down, collided with the ground, and came to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
On September 11, 1994, about 1445 central daylight time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, N53925, registered to Aerial Ads Inc. of the Southeast, crashed during a go-around at Panama City Beach Airport, Panama City Beach, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 banner tow 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 originated at Panama City Beach, Florida, on September 11, 1994, about 1300.
The pilot stated he approached the airstrip, which runs north and south, from the south, and dropped a banner. He was scheduled to pick up another banner which was set up for a pickup to the north; however, this was canceled. He reversed direction and set up to land to the south. As he approached he realized he was too high, and he executed a go-around. During the go-around the right main landing gear became entangled with the banner that was set up for pickup. The aircraft nosed down and collided with the ground right wing first and then nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53925
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 195-76
- Airframe hours
- 4,838
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C2E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Meyers, J.W.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 26, 1993 · 468 hours before
- Airport
- FA07 · Panama City Beach, runway 18, 950 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,650 total · 598 in this make and model · 1,598 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PFN, 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.
Other investigations on N53925 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.