NTSB Identification: ERA12LA482
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 26, 2012 in Green Creek, NJ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/09/2013
Aircraft: PIPER PA-12, registration: N4361M
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot was returning to land after an uneventful banner-towing flight. He dropped the banner, added full engine power, climbed to traffic pattern altitude, and maneuvered to enter the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. During the climb, the engine sputtered and then lost total power. The pilot was not able to restart the engine and performed a forced landing into trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Both fuel tanks were intact; the right fuel tank was found empty and the left fuel tank contained about 1.75 gallons of fuel. The airplane had been operated for more than 4 1/2 hours since its last refueling. It is likely that the airplane's low fuel state, combined with the maneuvering associated with the banner drop and the airplane’s subsequent pitch-up and airport traffic pattern operations resulted in an interruption of fuel flow to the engine.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation while maneuvering.
On July 26, 2012, about 1615 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N4361M, operated by Paramount Air Service Inc., was substantially damaged when it impacted trees after experiencing a total loss of engine power while maneuvering near Green Creek, New Jersey. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Paramount Airport (JY04) about 1145. The local banner tow flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot reported that he had topped off the airplane's fuel tanks (38 gallons total capacity) earlier in the day. He started the engine about 1135, and departed on a banner towing flight about 1145. The flight had been uneventful, and he was returning to land at JY04 after flying for about 4.5 hours. He dropped the banner, added full engine power, climbed to traffic pattern altitude, and maneuvered to enter the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. During the climb, the engine momentarily sputtered and then lost all power shortly thereafter. The pilot checked both fuel selectors, magnetos, and applied carburetor heat with no effect. He was not able to restart the engine and performed a forced landing to trees.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left side of the nose section, wing leading edges, and a buckled firewall.
Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Both the left (main) and right (auxiliary) fuel tanks were intact. The right fuel tank was empty and the left fuel tank contained about 1.75 gallons of fuel.
The airplane was manufactured in 1947, with a Lycoming O-235C, 100-horsepower engine, and was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150-horsepower engine at the time of the accident. Fuel was supplied to the engine via a gravity feed fuel system through the left, or both the left and the right fuel tanks. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was performed on May 17, 2012, and the airplane had been operated for about 200 hours since. In addition, at the time of the inspection, the engine had been operated for about 750 hours since it was overhauled.
NTSB Identification: ERA12LA482
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 26, 2012 in Green Creek, NJ
Aircraft: PIPER PA-12, registration: N4361M
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On July 26, 2012, about 1615 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N4361M, operated by Paramount Air Service Inc., was substantially damaged when it impacted trees after experiencing a total loss of engine power while maneuvering near Green Creek, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Paramount Airport (JY04) about 1135. The local banner tow flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot was returning to land at JY04. He dropped the banner, added full engine power, and climbed to traffic pattern altitude. During the climb, the engine momentarily sputtered and then lost all power shortly thereafter. The pilot was not able to restart the engine and performed a forced landing to trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
Examination of the airframe and engine by an FAA inspector was pending recovery from the accident site.
A small plane crashed into trees after missing the runway at the Jersey shore late Thursday afternoon.
The banner plane came down near Route 47 in Green Creek, Middle Township. A company called Paramount Air Service is headquartered in the area. But it is unclear where the plane is based.
The pilot escaped injury. No one else was hurt.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
GREEN CREEK — An banner-towing airplane from Paramount Air Service crashed about 4:25 p.m. Thur., July 26. The pilot was reportedly uninjured, but was stuck in a tree about 40 feet off the ground on a branch, according to police radio reports.
Green Creek Fire Department and Middle Township Emergency Medical Services and Middle Township Police responded to the call as did AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center paramedics, as a precaution.
Paramount's airfield is located on the west side of Route 47 between the highway and Delaware Bay. It is there that advertising banners are created and then picked up by planes.
MIDDLE TWP. -- Officials are on the scene of a banner plane crashed in Middle Township.
It happened Paramount Airpark at around 4:45 p.m., where Middle Township Police say the plane landed in a tree after missing the runway. Police say there are no major injuries.
One person is on the plane, which is about 40 feet off the ground.
