Plum Island Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950
Saturday, July 7, 1990 10:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT FLYING A CESSNA 305A WAS ENGAGED IN BANNER TOWING. THE PILOT COULD NOT RELEASE THE BANNER AND MADE A LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE FAA SAID THE OWNER HAD MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATION TO THE HOOK RELEASE MECHANISM AND THE PILOT FAILED TO LAND ON A HARD SURFACE AS RECOMMENDED IN THE APPROVED SUPPLEMENTAL FLIGHT MANUAL FOR BANNER TOWING, WHEN LANDING WITH A BANNER STILL ATTACHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES FOR LANDING WITH A BANNER STILL ATTACHED, CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER MODIFICATION OF BANNER RELEASE MECHANISM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1050
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEWBURYPORT
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01950
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PLUM ISLAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2B2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 11
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1295
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42607
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5208G
NTSB Number NYC90LA155
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 305A
Aircraft Series Identifier 305A
Aircraft Serial Number 21936
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8722
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VISION AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 7814
Aircraft Owner City LOUDON
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VISIONAIRE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 7814
Operator City LOUDON
Operator State NH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 03301
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 2520
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --