On June 18, 1988, a Cessna 305A (registration N14418) operated by Airways Advertising was involved in an aviation accident near Colts Neck, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to release the banner tow rope during the pickup attempt, which led to the tail rising and the propeller striking the ground upon landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A banner towing aircraft landed with a tow rope stuck to its main gear, causing the tail to rise and the plane to flip over upon touchdown.
What happened
The incident occurred while the pilot was attempting to pick up a banner. During this maneuver, the tow rope became entangled with the main landing gear assembly. The pilot was unable to release the banner or the rope before initiating the approach for landing.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft remained connected to the banner via the entangled rope. As the plane rolled out on the runway, the tension from the banner caused the tail section to rise abruptly. This sudden pitch-up attitude resulted in the propeller striking and digging into the turf surface.
The aircraft continued its forward momentum while rotating further, eventually rolling onto its nose and right wingtip. The sequence of events concluded with the aircraft coming to a complete stop in an inverted position.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to release the banner tow rope during the pickup attempt, which led to the tail rising and the propeller striking the ground upon landing.