History of Flight
On March 1, 2019, at about 1141 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-25-235, registration N145AB, was destroyed when it struck a 19-story building near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 banner tow flight.
The pilot was scheduled to tow a company banner measuring 30 feet by 90 feet along a route near Hollywood Beach, Fort Lauderdale Beach, and north to the Commercial Boulevard Pier. After takeoff, the pilot performed five or six practice banner pick-ups before picking up the accident banner at about 1059. Company tracking data and FAA radar data showed the flight proceeded east to the beach and made several circuits. At 1125, the pilot initiated a right turn and headed north toward Commercial Boulevard Pier. At 1137, while over water south of the pier, he turned south-southwest. At 1140, about 0.4 nautical mile east-southeast of the accident site, he initiated a right turn and flew over land while towing the banner. Radar data indicated a descent to 250 ft msl. The company tracking data showed the airplane turned northwest, then left to a west-northwest heading at about 54 mph groundspeed.
Witnesses observed the airplane flying low. One witness on a boat about 0.6 nautical mile northeast noted the airplane was at a lower altitude than usual, with a steady and loud engine. The airplane made a right turn followed by a sharp left turn, during which the banner inverted and dropped. Another witness on the beach captured video: the airplane performed a shallow right turn and flew over land; the engine sounded normal during the turn but quit about 10 seconds before impact. Other witnesses reported varying engine sounds, including sputtering or a low power setting.
The airplane impacted the east face of the building at the 16th and 17th floors and came to rest on the second floor level. No in-flight contact with company personnel occurred.
Personnel and Training
The pilot began training with the operator in November 2018, completing a 1.1-hour evaluation flight covering stalls, low airspeeds, and maximum performance maneuvers in a Cessna 305A. He was hired in January 2019 and received 20 hours of ground training and about 17 hours of flight training, including a 1.5-hour dual/solo banner tow flight. By February 22, 2019, he had 1.5 hours of banner tow time. He was trained on the operator's Cessna 305A and Piper PA-25 for banner towing and was added to the company's FAA Certificate of Waiver on February 28. His logbook showed a 0.6-hour practice solo banner tow on February 26. The accident flight was his first solo banner tow away from the training area at North Perry Airport. Coworkers reported he was enthusiastic but displayed an appropriate level of nervousness.
Aircraft and Wreckage Examination
The airplane was equipped with a Live View GPS Tracker. The exhaust system consisted of pipes without mufflers. The wreckage came to rest on its left side on a magnetic heading of 050° on the second floor of an outdoor pool area under construction. The left wing was extensively damaged and lay beneath the fuselage; the right wing had minimal damage. The banner was found about 400 ft east-southeast of the building. Flight control continuity was confirmed except where cut for recovery. The left flap cable was connected, and the right flap cable showed tension overload at the wing root. The stall warning system had no pre-impact failure.
The engine remained partially attached, with impact damage to the crankshaft flange and No. 6 cylinder preventing full rotation. Borescope inspection of cylinders found no anomalies. Lubrication, ignition, valve train, air induction, and exhaust systems showed no evidence of pre-impact failure. The carburetor was fractured but suspended by cables; the mixture cable was detached. The carburetor bowl held about 2 ounces of fuel, negative for water. The propeller spinner showed signs of rotation. Propeller blade No. 1 was twisted toward low pitch with scratches; blade No. 2 was fractured about 25.5 inches from the hub, with heavy scratches and curling.
The 75-gallon capacity aluminum fuel tank was bulged and ruptured, with no fuel remaining. Only drops of fuel, slight water, and metal slivers were found in the strainer bowl. The auxiliary fuel pump operated electrically. About 2 ounces of blue-colored liquid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel were drained from the pump.
Additional Information
The operator stated that standard banner tow procedures call for flying at 500 to 700 ft msl offshore, with climbing right turns to 1,000 ft msl during northbound segments, and descending right turns to southerly headings at 500-700 ft msl unless ATC instructs otherwise. The airplane was not expected to be below 500 ft agl except during takeoff, landing, or when authorized. Typical power setting for towing a medium banner was 2,000-2,200 rpm.
The banner's lead pole showed no rudder damage. The 59.5-foot bridle had only the lower rope cut. The banner exhibited normal wear. The No. 1 banner release mechanism operated normally.
A sound spectrum study from the witness video, correlated with tracking data, indicated the engine rpm started at about 2,200, increased and remained above 2,300 for about 12 seconds, then increased to about 2,500 rpm, decreased slightly, and rose to about 2,450 rpm at impact. Maximum engine rpm was 2,575.
Medical and Pathological Information
A postmortem examination by the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death as blunt head trauma. Forensic toxicology by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory tested negative for carbon monoxide, volatiles, and drugs; testing for cyanide was not performed.