Piper PA-25-260 N169AB

Summary

On 17 March 2008 at about 20:49 local time, a Piper PA-25-260 registered N169AB, operated by Hiott's Flight Service, was involved in an accident near Opa Locka, Florida, 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.

Date

17 March 2008 at 20:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Opa Locka, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Opa Locka Airport (OPF)

Coordinates

25.9069, -80.2783

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-260

Registration

N169AB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hiott's Flight Service

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Banner Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hollywood → Opa Locka

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08CA141

Nobody was injured.

The entanglement of the hook rope with the rudder horn during banner pickup.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After a banner pickup, the pilot of the PA-25-260 felt the "left rudder pedal become stiff" after the banner came off of the ground. The pilot looked back at the tail of the airplane and verified that the "hook rope" had caught the towrope and not the tail wheel of the airplane. After circling to the right in the banner pattern, the pilot decided to release the banner in order to "free up the rudder." He flew over the drop zone but was unable to line the airplane up so he activated the banner release handle over a grassy area that was free from obstructions or people, but the release was not successful. The pilot still had minimal rudder control and the airplane wanted to turn to the right. He then decided to land the airplane. After lining up with another grassy area he retarded the throttle and "stalled" the airplane into a "three point landing." The airplane then touched down, veered to the right, and impacted a berm substantially damaging the airplane. Post accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the hook rope was wrapped around the rudder horn.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.