WILLOUGHBY, OH, USA
N56476
MAULE M-6-235
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PICK UP AND TOW A BANNER. A WITNESS, A GROUNDCREW MEMBER LOCATED BENEATH THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT PATH, STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AND THE PILOT STARTED TO INITIATE THE AERIAL PICK UP. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE SAW THAT THE TOW LINE WAS NOT IN ITS CORRECT POSITION FOR BANNER PICK UP SO HE WAVED TO THE PILOT TO ABORT THE PICK UP. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE SIDE STEPPED THE RUNWAY AND THEN PITCHED UP INTO A VERTICAL CLIMB AND SHALLOW LEFT TURN. THE WITNESS STATED THAT AT ABOUT 150 FEET IN THE AIR, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE FELL TO LEFT AND THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY AIRFRAME OR ENGINE ANOMALIES. THE BANNER HITCH AND HITCH INSTALLATION WERE EXAMINED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING A PULLUP MANEUVER, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
