Accident Overview
A banner towing aircraft crashed during a banner pickup attempt. The pilot had taken off from an airfield, circled, and then descended toward the banner staging area located near midfield. According to a witness, the banner was successfully picked up and the airplane began to climb.
Sequence of Events
As the airplane climbed, it appeared it would not outclimb a wooded area at the end of the airfield. The banner was then dropped from the airplane. Soon afterward, the airplane descended in a spin to the ground.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination of the airplane did not disclose any evidence of mechanical failure. Additionally, no evidence was found of banner entanglement with the rudder or elevator.
Findings
No determination of a probable cause was provided in the source material. The investigation did not identify any pre-existing mechanical issues or control surface fouling.