Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Opa-Locka Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Opa-Locka, Florida 33054
Sunday, December 18, 2005 12:48 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Earlier that day, the pilot reportedly advised several company employees of a discrepancy with the No. 2 position tow-release hook; he was advised to use only the Nos. 1 and 3 positions. The flight departed for the first banner tow flight of the day, returned to the departure airport after flying the banner, dropped it, then picked up a second banner on the No. 3 position. He flew the banner then returned to the departure airport and dropped it with no reported discrepancies. A company employee reported that the pilot released the second banner late and after landing when asked why, the pilot advised him the No. 3 release wasn't working properly. The pilot installed banner tow hooks at the Nos. 1 and 3 positions, and departed to pick up a billboard using the No. 1 position but reported the airplane would not climb, and he released the banner. He then threw out the hook for the No. 3 position, and returned to pick-up the billboard which was set up for an easterly direction. He approached the location at 85 mph, and the climb-out, "...was even worse. I had no thrust or power at all, only the momentum carried me up to 200 [feet] where I leveled off with an airspeed of about 55 mph and noticed low oil pressure while losing altitude." He immediately pulled the No. 3 banner release handle but "everything came out the panel." He then felt "pulled by the tail with no thrust", and braced for impact on the airport property. No ground crew members reported hearing an engine discrepancy during the climb out. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the tow rope remained secured to the No. 3 tow-release hook. A safety link designed to break at 650 pounds was installed between the tow-release hook and the tow rope. The operator reported that the safety link will not break due to a "hot hook", or a banner dragging on the ground. Also, the No. 3 banner release handle/cable assembly was separated from the instrument panel and extended into the cockpit approximately 12 inches. The cable was not fractured; the cable housing was secured by a plastic tie-wrap near the pilot's seat, then by 3 adel clamps. The closest adel clamp to the cockpit was located approximately 10 feet aft of the plastic tie wrap. The cable housing was required to be clamped by 6 adel clamps. Postaccident operational testing of the engine revealed it produced approximately 2,400 rpm (near full static) with a serviceable propeller installed. The oil pressure was noted to be in the green arc when operating above 1,700 rpm, but was indicating low with the engine operating at 1,000 and 1,300 rpm. A METAR taken on the airport approximately 5 minutes after the accident indicates the wind was from 270 degrees at 7 knots, though the ground crew set up for an east approach. The operator's "Training Manual & General Operating Procedures" revealed that with respect to "Downwind Pickups", it states, "Downwind pickups are not to be attempted by any pilot at any time! Failure to abide by this rule will result in the pilots' immediate termination!" The training manual also indicates with respect to downwind pickups that if the wind direction changes and, "...your banner is no longer set up into the wind you must land, taxi to the banner area, and help the ground crew realign your banner for an upwind pickup."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain airspeed following a reported loss of engine power, resulting in a stall/mush, uncontrolled descent, and in-flight collision with terrain. Factors in the accident were the pilot's intentional operation of the airplane with known deficiencies (inoperative No. 3 banner release), and inadequate installation of the banner tow-release hook assembly by company maintenance personnel.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/18/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1248 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Opa-Locka |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33054 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 255425N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801642W |
| Event Location Airport | Opa-Locka Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KOPF |
| 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 | 8 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KOPF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 8 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| 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) | 20657 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 18 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 29 2006 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Miami, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N86AB |
| NTSB Number | MIA06LA033 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-25-235 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25-3409 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 91.67 |
| Airframe Hours | 6759.57 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aerial Banners, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1112 Weston Road, #137 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fort Lauderdale |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33326 |
| 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) | Banner Tow |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KOPF |
| Departure City | Opa-Locka |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1243 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KOPF |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 25 2006 2:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |