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Minor damage to left horizontal stabilizer during banner pick-up maneuver. Struck pole during temporary loss of control of aircraft in gusty winds.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 110021 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198904 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 34j |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 12 agl bound upper : 12 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 175 |
| ASRS Report | 110021 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While executing a banner pick up a combination of light gusting surface winds in combination with passing over an inactive runway on a hot day the airplane sank slightly over grassy pick up area and concurrently started to drift slightly left (from a light gust). The approach appeared manageable, however the left horizontal stabilizer struck the left pick up pole, creating a small dent on the leading edge. In the course of a banner pick up a brisk rotation is required for a clean pick up. This was the only option available and is what I did. It is possible that if the poles were spaced further apart the incident might not have occurred. After returning to the ramp I was informed that this was a very common occurrence. The only improvements that I could think of was if the poles were made of a rubberized tube of some sort striking the tip of one might not dent the leading edge. Spacing the poles further apart may help.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MINOR DAMAGE TO LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER DURING BANNER PICK-UP MANEUVER. STRUCK POLE DURING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF ACFT IN GUSTY WINDS.
Narrative: WHILE EXECUTING A BANNER PICK UP A COMBINATION OF LIGHT GUSTING SURFACE WINDS IN COMBINATION WITH PASSING OVER AN INACTIVE RWY ON A HOT DAY THE AIRPLANE SANK SLIGHTLY OVER GRASSY PICK UP AREA AND CONCURRENTLY STARTED TO DRIFT SLIGHTLY LEFT (FROM A LIGHT GUST). THE APCH APPEARED MANAGEABLE, HOWEVER THE LEFT HORIZ STABILIZER STRUCK THE LEFT PICK UP POLE, CREATING A SMALL DENT ON THE LEADING EDGE. IN THE COURSE OF A BANNER PICK UP A BRISK ROTATION IS REQUIRED FOR A CLEAN PICK UP. THIS WAS THE ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE AND IS WHAT I DID. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IF THE POLES WERE SPACED FURTHER APART THE INCIDENT MIGHT NOT HAVE OCCURRED. AFTER RETURNING TO THE RAMP I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE. THE ONLY IMPROVEMENTS THAT I COULD THINK OF WAS IF THE POLES WERE MADE OF A RUBBERIZED TUBE OF SOME SORT STRIKING THE TIP OF ONE MIGHT NOT DENT THE LEADING EDGE. SPACING THE POLES FURTHER APART MAY HELP.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.