- Date
- August 12, 1992, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ocean City, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N9374DPiper PA-18A-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920812031529A
- Case key
- 37206
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 airplane nosing over on landing roll due to inadequate airplane handling characteristics while landing with the banner attached. Factors related to the accident were the use of rope instead of steel cable, the main landing gear mounted tow hitch, and the crosswind.
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
During banner pickup the tow rope became wrapped around the release hook and the pilot was unable to release the banner upon the completion of the flight. Landing with a right crosswind and the banner still attached, the pilot was unable to control the direction of the airplane as he slowed, and the airplane departed the runway to the left side, and nosed over. The banner attach point was a hook on the end of a rod, which was attached to the main landing gear, which is forward of the center of gravity. This made directional control very difficult if not impossible as the airplane slowed. According to an FAA inspector familiar with banner towing, rope is more susceptible to twisting around the release hook than metal cables. In addition, he said that tailwheel mounted tow hitches are safer than those mounted on the main landing gear. Additional interviews disclosed both tow hitch systems and rope are in common use for banner towing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9374D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 186639
- Airframe hours
- 8,570
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- General Aerial Advertising
- Registered owner
- General Aerial Advertising
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 23, 1992 · 108 hours before
- Departed
- 1N6 · Bargintown, NJ
- Airport
- 26N · Ocean City Minicipal, runway 6, 2,540 × 45 ft, asphalt
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
- 29
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,265 total · 148 in this make and model · 1,005 as pilot in command · 414 in the last 90 days · 123 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N9374D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.