Incident Overview
An aircraft engaged in banner-towing operations for the Jersey Shore Marathon experienced an accident shortly after a simulated banner pickup. The flight had departed in a westerly direction, following the standard traffic pattern and climbing to approximately 1,500 feet.
Sequence of Events
After reaching altitude, the pilot executed a pullup maneuver to simulate a banner pickup. Following this, the pilot checked for airport traffic and descended to about 800 feet. At the same time, the pilot noticed wind gusts, although the windsock indicated very little wind. The banner was then picked up. At approximately 150 feet, the left wing and nose dropped. The pilot was unable to correct the attitude. The aircraft descended rapidly into trees, spun around, and came to rest.
Evacuation and Fire
The pilot evacuated the aircraft before a fire erupted. No further details on injuries or damage were provided in the source.
Investigation
No probable cause was stated in the source. The investigation would have considered factors such as wind conditions and aircraft handling characteristics.