- Date
- July 31, 2004, 10:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Farmingdale, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N53748Bellanca 7KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Teterboro FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040731022369A
- Case key
- 59825
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 maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall and collision with wires.
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 took off, climbed out normally and then proceeded with a banner pick-up. A witness reported that the pilot did not add full power until about 15 feet prior to the banner pick-up poles. The airplane picked up the banner, then immediately pitched up steeply. The wings began to rock back and forth and the airplane began to descend with the banner connected. The pilot released the banner; however, the airplane descended into wires and impacted a hangar. According to the operator, the normal banner pick-up procedure with regards to engine power was to add full throttle about 100 to 125 feet prior to the banner pick-up poles. Examination of the airplane did not revealed any mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
On July 31, 2004, about 1015 eastern daylight time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, N53748, was substantially damaged while maneuvering at the Monmouth Executive Airport, Farmingdale, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the commercial banner tow flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that he was conducting his first banner pick up of the day. After contacting the banner, he began to climb; however, at 200 feet above the ground, he encountered a wind gust. The airplane began to lose altitude and airspeed, and the pilot noticed that the engine rpm was at 2,200. The pilot released the banner and attempted to climb; however, wind shear pushed the airplane down, and into power lines.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, witnesses observed the airplane in a steep nose-up attitude. After the banner was released, the airplane rolled to the left, struck power lines and then impacted a hanger.
According to the owner of the banner tow company, the pilot took off, climbed out normally and then proceed with the banner pick up. The pilot did not add full power until about 15 feet prior to the banner pick-up poles. The airplane picked up the banner, then immediately pitched up steeply. The wings began to rock back and forth and the airplane began to descend with the banner connected. He radioed the pilot to release the banner. The banner was released; however, the airplane "stalled" into wires and impacted a hanger. He further stated that the normal banner pick up procedure with regards to engine power was to add full throttle about 100 to 125 feet prior to the banner pick-up poles.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector did not revealed any mechanical malfunctions.
The banner poles were aligned with runway 14. Winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were from 210 degrees at 6 knots.
The pilot reported 362 hours of total flight experience, which included 63 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53748
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 538-75
- Airframe hours
- 2,185
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-E2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- United Aerial Advertising of Delaware, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2004
- Departed
- BLM · Farmingdale, NJ
- Destination
- BLM
- Airport
- BLM · Monmouth Executive, runway 14, 7,300 × 80 ft
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
- 26
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 8, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 362 total · 63 in this make and model · 252 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- BLM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.