Incident Summary
A banner towing operation ended with the airplane nosing over after the pilot lost directional control during landing. The sequence began during the banner pickup when the tow rope became entangled around the release hook. Unable to release the banner after the flight, the pilot attempted to land with the banner still attached.
Landing and Loss of Control
While landing in a right crosswind, the pilot could not maintain directional control as the airplane slowed. The aircraft departed the runway to the left side and subsequently nosed over.
Tow Hitch Design and Comments
Investigation revealed that the banner attach point consisted of a hook on the end of a rod attached to the main landing gear, forward of the center of gravity. According to the report, this configuration made directional control very difficult, if not impossible, as the airplane slowed.
An FAA inspector familiar with banner towing noted that rope is more susceptible to twisting around the release hook than metal cables. The inspector also stated that tailwheel-mounted tow hitches are safer than those mounted on the main landing gear. Additional interviews indicated that both tow hitch systems and rope are in common use for banner towing.