Piper PA-25-260 N454AB accident near Hollywood, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper banner pickup approach, which resulted in the banner tow hook contacting the airplane, and the subsequent overload separation of the right rudder control horn, resulting in a loss of airplane control.

NTSB analysis

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped banner tow airplane was unsuccessful in his first three attempted banner pickup passes. The operator’s director of ground operations then directed the pilot to pick up a different banner, after which the pilot attempted another pickup. During that attempt, the director watched as the tow hook struck one of the cones marking the banner approach lane, and did not catch the banner. The director then walked toward the cone to upright it and when he next observed the airplane it was in a descending left spin that continued to ground contact. The pilot recalled the missed pickup attempts and described that during the final pickup attempt and climb out, he felt the rudder “snap” or “let go,” after which the airplane turned left. He commented about the rudder over the radio and attempted to lower the airplane’s nose but could not recall the events that occurred thereafter.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that one of the three prongs of the steel tow hook that was used to pick up banners was bent outward and nearly straight. Additional examination of the wreckage revealed that the right side rudder control horn had fractured. No other evidence of an inflight mechanical malfunction or failure was observed during the examination. Detailed metallurgical of the fracture surfaces from the rudder horn revealed that all of the fractures displayed features consistent with overload-induced separation.

Given the witness description that the tow hook had struck a cone on the ground, the pilot reported experiencing a problem with the rudder during the subsequent climb out, and the deformation observed on one of the steel tow hook prongs, it is likely that the tow hook recoiled after contacting the ground and struck the airplane. The tow hook’s impact with the airplane likely resulted in the overload fracture of the right rudder horn that resulted in the pilot’s subsequent loss of airplane control.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA245 for the full record.