Piper PA-18A-150 N9374D
12 August 1992 · Ocean City, New Jersey, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 12 August 1992 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA-18A-150 registered N9374D, operated by General Aerial Advertising, was involved in an accident near Ocean City, New Jersey, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ocean City, New Jersey, United States
- Nearest airport
- Ocean City Minicipal (26N)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-150
- Registration
- N9374D
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- General Aerial Advertising
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Bargintown → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC92LA162
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
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.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-18A accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-18A-150 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | John Clark | Minor injuries | - |
| 29 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-18A-135 | Paxson, Alaska, United States | West, JIM V. | No injuries | - |
| 10 Mar 1992 | Piper PA-18A-150 | Golovin, Alaska, United States | Chris McDonnell | Serious injuries | - |
| 30 Apr 1992 | Piper PA-18A | Coolidge, Arizona, United States | Phillip E. Barnes | Serious injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 1992 | Piper PA-18A | Glade Park, Colorado, United States | Mountain Island Ranch | No injuries | - |
| 13 Aug 1992 | Piper PA-18A | Eisenmenger Crk, Alaska, United States | Owen D. Brant | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan 1992 | Hughes 369D | Edison, New Jersey, United States | Sun DUN Inc. of Washington | Fatal | 1 |
| 18 Oct 1992 | Cessna 150 | Princeton, New Jersey, United States | John Chang (Partnership) | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Oct 1992 | Cessna 150L | Linden, New Jersey, United States | Linden Air Services Corp | No injuries | - |
| 19 May 1992 | Cessna 172P | Princeton, New Jersey, United States | Raritan Valley Flying School | Fatal | 2 |
| 1 Nov 1992 | Let LF-13 | Readington, New Jersey, United States | Central Jersey Soaring Club | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Dec 1992 | Cessna 182 | Readington, New Jersey, United States | Blue Sky Aviation Assoc. Inc. | No injuries | - |