Aviat Inc A 1 N6090U accident near Compton, California

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and/or appropriate pitch attitude during a banner pickup, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall/spin at too low an altitude to allow recovery.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot was conducting a local banner tow flight. After five unsuccessful attempts to pick up the banner, the pilot was successful on the sixth attempt. According to ground personnel, the banner deployed normally, and the airplane's engine sounded normal. However, the pilot radioed to the ground personnel that the airplane was unable to climb. About that time, the ground personnel observed the banner releasing from the airplane's tail hook and falling to the ground. The airplane then wallowed left and right until it spun to the left as it descended and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane burst into flames and was consumed by the postimpact fire. Postaccident examination noted no preimpact anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot had a history of difficulties executing banner pickups that included multiple low misses, adding power late, and pitching up too high. Although the pilot had been retrained the year before the accident, it is likely that he added power late, pitched up too high, or made both errors when picking up the banner, which resulted in the airplane's airspeed decaying to the point where the airplane exceeded its critical angle of attack and experienced an aerodynamic stall.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR15FA238 for the full record.