Loss of control Accident Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser N3703M,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 280439
 
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Date:Saturday 16 July 2022
Time:09:35
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA12 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser
Owner/operator:Paramount Air Service Inc
Registration: N3703M
MSN: 12-2648
Total airframe hrs:15117 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-320 A2B
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Paramount Air Airport (JY04), Middle Township, NJ -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Banner and glider towing
Departure airport:Paramount Air Airport, NJ (JY04)
Destination airport:Paramount Air Airport, NJ (JY04)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
On July 16, 2022, about 0935 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N3703M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Middle Township, New Jersey. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 banner-tow flight.

The banner tow pilot had worked for the operator for about 2 months, and the accident flight was the first flight of the day. The pilot departed from the runway and flew a left traffic pattern to pick up the banner at the approach end of the opposite runway, which was normal procedure. Witnesses stated that the airplane descended between the poles, missed the banner, and the pilot initiated an aggressive, almost vertical climb. One witness stated that it appeared as though the accident pilot "kicked rudder" at the top of the climb to see if he had picked up the banner. The airplane entered an aerodynamic stall/spin and descended to ground contact. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack during the banner pickup attempt, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and loss of control at an altitude too low to recover.

Probable Cause: The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a missed banner pickup, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and loss of control at an altitude too low to recover.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ERA22FA315
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 4 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB ERA22FA315

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105485
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=3703M

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
24 June 2018 N3703M Paramount Air Services 0 Cape May County, NJ min

Location

Images:


Photo: NTSB

Media:

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
16-Jul-2022 18:27 Captain Adam Added
16-Jul-2022 21:34 Captain Adam Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative]
16-Jul-2022 21:55 RobertMB Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Nature, Source, Narrative]
18-Jul-2022 16:55 RobertMB Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative]
19-Jul-2022 06:31 AgOps Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative]
26-Jul-2022 21:56 Captain Adam Updated [Time, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category]
16-Nov-2023 15:27 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, Accident report]
16-Nov-2023 17:33 Captain Adam Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo]

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