Piper PA-18-135 N7199K

Summary

On 3 September 2023 at about 21:20 local time, a Piper PA-18-135 registered N7199K, operated by Van Wagner Aerial Media LLC, was involved in an accident near Compton, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 September 2023 at 21:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Compton, California, United States

Nearest airport

Compton/Woodley (CPM)

Coordinates

33.8899, -118.2438

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-135

Registration

N7199K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Van Wagner Aerial Media LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Banner Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23LA336

1 person had minor injuries.

An overstress fracture of the pilot’s seat, which resulted in the loss of control during takeoff and the pilot’s inadvertent movement of the fuel selector and subsequent partial loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The banner tow flight was in the initial climb after the pilot snagged the banner when the back of the pilot’s seat broke and the pilot inadvertently pulled back on the control yoke as he abruptly slid aft to a horizontal position. The airplane pitched up in a nose-high attitude, causing the pilot to further slide aft. The airplane was about 200 ft above ground level (agl) and at the onset of an aerodynamic stall. Using a crossbeam to pull himself forward, the pilot was able to push the flight control stick forward and recover the airplane. The airplane’s engine then began to “cough” and it sustained a partial loss of power. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot made a forced landing to a nearby baseball field. The airplane impacted a fence along a concrete wash resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the pilot’s seat fracture surface revealed characteristics consistent with an overstress fracture. Examination of the engine revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that when he slid aft, the fuel selector lever may have inadvertently been moved out of the “both/on” position, resulting in the partial loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.