NTSB MKC90LA027 — 1989-11-11 · SPRINGDALE, Arkansas, United States

Current FAA registration · N4115Y

Make / Model: BELLANCA 7GCBC
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19760927
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A4DAF5

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N4115Y Bellanca 7GCBC None

Probable cause & findings

THE BANNER TOW PICK UP EQUIPMENT BECAME ENTANGLED RESULTING IN A JAMMED RUDDER AND RESTRICTED AIRCRAFT CONTROL.

Factual narrative

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP AN AERIAL TOWED BANNER, THE PICK-UP HOOK FOULED THE ACFT'S RUDDER CAUSING A HARD LEFT RUDDER FLYING CONFIGURATION. UNABLE TO FREE THE BANNER, AND LOSING ALTITUDE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON A FARM FIELD. AFTER TOUCH DOWN, THE BANNER BROKE FREE OF THE ACFT, AND SHORTLY AFTER, THE ACFT STRUCK A DRAINAGE DITCH AND OVERTURNED. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE PICK-UP MECHANISM WAS DISCOVERED ON POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_MKC90LA027.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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