Champion 8GCBC N88287

Summary

On 22 August 2018 at about 15:00 local time, a Champion 8GCBC registered N88287, operated by Coastal Air Sign Llc., was involved in an accident near Elberta, Alabama, 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

22 August 2018 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Elberta, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

30.4111, -87.5789

Aircraft

Champion 8GCBC

Registration

N88287

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Coastal Air Sign Llc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Banner Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gulf Shores → Gulf Shores

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA503

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat during a low-power setting approach in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a 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 pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during a banner towing operation, the ground crew attempted to connect the banner to the hook, but the banner did not connect and became caught on the tailwheel. The pilot made several approaches over the field to dislodge the banner. He reported that, during his last attempt to dislodge the banner, he moved the throttle to idle and made a normal descent to drop the banner. The banner remained caught on the tailwheel, and he stopped the descent and then moved the throttle from idle to full power. However, the engine sputtered, and the power did not increase. He then visually and physically confirmed that the mixture was in the full-rich position and that the primer was in the closed-and-locked position. He attempted moving the throttle from idle to full power two more times with no subsequent change in engine power. The pilot subsequently made a forced landing on the southwest corner of the field, and the airplane collided with uneven terrain and trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During a postaccident interview, the pilot reported that, during the low-power setting approaches to release the banner, he did not use carburetor heat. The pilot reported that the temperature about the time of the accident was 80°F. The METAR at the nearest airport reported that the dew point about the time of the accident was 72°F. The relative humidity was about 77%. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of serious carburetor icing. Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 recommends the use of carburetor heat when operating in conditions of visible moisture or high humidity while on approach with low-power settings. The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat likely resulted in the accumulation of carburetor icing during the low-power setting approaches and led to the partial loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.