Stall / Spin · NTSB ERA14FA416
PIPER PA-25-260 — St. Petersburg, FL
| Date | August 31, 2014 |
| Location | St. Petersburg, FL |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-25-260 |
| Purpose of flight | Banner Tow |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Initial climb Aerodynamic stall/spin |
| Pilot age | 68 |
| Pilot total time | 2,500 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 300 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action sequence-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not specified - C
What happened
During a banner-tow pickup, the commercial pilot reported to the tower controller that the banner-tow rope had become entangled in the rudder and that he needed to release the rope. According to witnesses, after picking up the banner, the airplane made a sharp left turn and then spiraled into the water. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the banner-tow rope had become entangled between the left elevator and horizontal stabilizer.
A review of the company training manual noted that the banner-tow rope must remain taught before the pilot deploys the hook or the rope to prevent the entanglement of the hook or rope in the tail control surfaces and restriction of movement. A review of GPS data showed that the airplane made an immediate right turn to pick up the banner while the pilot was deploying the hook. It is likely that the pilot's improper deployment of the hook while simultaneously turning the airplane caused the entanglement of the tow rope in the elevator.