Incident Overview
A single-engine aircraft, operating as a banner tow, crash-landed in a cornfield north of the airport after a low approach to drop a banner. The pilot reported no recollection of the accident. The aircraft had been fully fueled prior to departure and had flown with a banner for approximately 40 minutes before the incident.
Sequence of Events
According to the ground crew, the aircraft departed at 1540 and flew with a banner before returning to the airport to drop it and retrieve a new one for a flight over the Michigan International Speedway. During a low approach to release the banner, the banner did not separate. The aircraft executed a go-around and climbed toward the north, with no anomalies noted by the ground crew. Subsequently, the aircraft descended and attempted a landing in a cornfield north of the airport.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the airframe and flight controls revealed no anomalies associated with any pre-impact condition. The banner remained attached to the aircraft but did not obstruct any flight controls. The engine was successfully test-run while attached to the airframe, and no anomalies were found during the test-run that could be associated with any pre-impact condition. No probable cause was determined from the available evidence.