On December 22, 1983, a Piper PA-12 (registration N7510H) was involved in an aviation accident near Ft. Lauderdale, FL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft stalled in a steep turn while towing a banner, diving from 150 feet after releasing the banner. No pre-impact failure found.
Accident Details
The aircraft was towing a banner when it crashed on the airport in a steep nose-down attitude after releasing the banner. The pilot waved to ground personnel and initiated a steep turn with a 60-degree bank in a nose-high attitude. After completing 180 degrees of the turn, the aircraft stalled. The nose dropped, and the aircraft dove to the ground from approximately 150 feet above ground level.
Impact and Wreckage
The aircraft came to rest 60 feet from the initial impact point. The aft fuselage and empennage were oriented upward at about 40 degrees from horizontal. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction of the aircraft.
Prior Discussion
The employer of the pilot had discussed the pilot's steep turns a few days before the accident and had asked the pilot to widen the pattern for safety.