Lawrence Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lawrence, Massachusetts 01840
Friday, September 3, 2004 14:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

As the pilot initiated the banner pick up, moderate turbulence was encountered, and the airplane began to descend. The turbulence encounter lasted momentarily, and all of the pilot's visual cues indicated that the banner towline was picked up normally. As the airplane was climbing out, the pilot felt the airplane swerve to the right, and observed that the banner towline was hooked around the right main landing gear assembly. Realizing that the airplane was subjected to increased drag, the pilot lowered the nose, and performed a forced landing to a grass field. As the airplane neared the ground, the banner touched down first, and induced more drag on the airplane. The pilot added additional power to compensate; however, the airplane touched down hard, and continued down an embankment, where it came to rest inverted. The winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were from 270 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 16 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent pickup of a banner towline with the airplanes main landing gear after encountering gusting wind conditions. A factor related to the accident was the gusting wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/3/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lawrence
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01840
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 424301N
Event Location Longitude 0710724W
Event Location Airport LAWRENCE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LWM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1354 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LWM
Elevation of weather observation facility 148
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 16
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.19
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16775
NTSB Notification Source NE Region Ops Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 16 2004 8:42AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5208G
NTSB Number NYC04CA202
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 305A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
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 30 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 10554
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Fly an Ad LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Loudon
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03307
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LWM
Departure City Lawrence
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2004 1:48PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --