Bellanca 7GCBC N8634V accident near St. Petersburg, Florida

Probable cause

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

While returning from a 50-minute banner towing flight, the airplane's engine began losing power. The pilot determined that the airplane would be unable to reach the destination airport and elected to perform a forced landing to a golf course. He decided not to detach the banner the airplane was towing, partly out of concern for persons and property on the ground, and partly so that it could act as a drag device during the subsequent off-airport landing. During the landing, when the pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid several golfers standing in the airplane's path during rollout, the right wing struck a tree resulting in substantial damage. A brief postaccident test run of the engine showed no evidence of any mechanical abnormalities. Temperature and dewpoint conditions at the time of the accident were favorable to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide power settings.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10LA101 for the full record.