What happened
While engaged in a banner towing operation, the aircraft's tow line became entangled with the tailwheel, which caused the rudder to displace to the right. To evaluate the situation before attempting to land or release the banner, the pilot performed a fly-by of the ground crew.
Following this fly-by, the pilot attempted to apply power for a go-around maneuver but experienced a loss of power. In response to the power loss, the pilot executed a sharp left turn to avoid obstacles and subsequently performed a forced landing at the airport. The occupants were not injured.
The investigation
During the investigation, witnesses reported that the engine sound appeared normal during the flight and noted that the aircraft's nose dropped during the maneuver. A mechanical inspection of the aircraft revealed no mechanical discrepancies.