Piper PA18 N796AB

Summary

On 6 July 2019 at about 00:38 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N796AB, operated by Air America Aerial Ads, LLC, was involved in an accident near Bay City, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 July 2019 at 00:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Bay City, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

James Clements Muni (3CM)

Coordinates

43.5469, -83.8950

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N796AB

Category

Airplane

Year built

1955

Engines

1

Operator

Air America Aerial Ads, LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Banner Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bay City → Bay City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN19LA214

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a banner drop and pickup, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a subsequent loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot had completed one banner tow flight and was dropping the banner and picking up a second banner when the accident occurred. The operator reported that the pilot could not recall the events of the accident; however, witnesses saw the pilot conduct the banner drop from about 250 ft above ground level. After dropping the banner at an idle or nearly idle engine power setting, the airplane pitched up and abruptly banked left, impacting the ground about 180° from its previous heading. The operator suggested that the pilot's attention may have been diverted following the drop, and while operating at a low engine power setting, the airplane slowed and experienced an aerodynamic stall. The operator reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe, engine, banner, or the tow equipment that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed during the banner drop and pick-up procedure and exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack. This resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control at an altitude that precluded recovery.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.