On July 19, 1986, a Bellanca 7KCAB (registration N11703) operated by Island Aviation & Advert.inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Orange Beach, AL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The separation of the exhaust pipe from the muffler, which resulted in a loss of engine power during the banner towing operation. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a banner towing operation along a beach, an aircraft lost power due to an exhaust pipe separation. The pilot attempted a water landing on a small island but the plane flipped inverted.
What happened
The incident occurred during a banner towing flight conducted along a coastline. While operating in this phase of flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of engine power. In response to the mechanical failure, the pilot attempted to execute an emergency landing on the beach of a nearby small island.
During the landing roll on the sand, the aircraft lost directional control and rolled into the adjacent water. The impact caused the aircraft to flip inverted, resulting in significant damage to the airframe.
The investigation
Following the accident, the operator of the aircraft provided details regarding the mechanical failure. An examination of the engine system revealed that the exhaust pipe had separated from the muffler. This separation was identified as the direct cause of the power loss that precipitated the emergency landing attempt.
Probable cause
The separation of the exhaust pipe from the muffler, which resulted in a loss of engine power during the banner towing operation.