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Banner tow pilot unsuccessful in picking up banner. Supervisor fired reporter because of method used to pick up banner dangerous and unsafe.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 310964 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199507 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hwo |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : hwo |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | J3 Cub |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 310964 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : observer oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time total : 20000 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During repeated (unsuccessful) attempts to pick up a banner, I experienced several inadvertent hook strikes on the ground. On 2 occasions, these caused the hook or tow line to become fouled. I attempted to free the hook (once successfully, once not) by deliberately bouncing it. Believed at the time that this was a relatively less inefficient way to solve the problem than landing. After landing with fouled rope, was informed that this practice was extremely dangerous, and I was fired. Seems that although 999/1000 bounces just bounce, there is some chance that the hook can snap forward enough to foul the rear control surfaces with the rope. Inadvertent bounces are not merely inefficient, but unsafe. Deliberate bounces are not acceptable. After hearing this explanation, I understood how wrong my decision making process had been, but too late, of course.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BANNER TOW PLT UNSUCCESSFUL IN PICKING UP BANNER. SUPVR FIRED RPTR BECAUSE OF METHOD USED TO PICK UP BANNER DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE.
Narrative: DURING REPEATED (UNSUCCESSFUL) ATTEMPTS TO PICK UP A BANNER, I EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INADVERTENT HOOK STRIKES ON THE GND. ON 2 OCCASIONS, THESE CAUSED THE HOOK OR TOW LINE TO BECOME FOULED. I ATTEMPTED TO FREE THE HOOK (ONCE SUCCESSFULLY, ONCE NOT) BY DELIBERATELY BOUNCING IT. BELIEVED AT THE TIME THAT THIS WAS A RELATIVELY LESS INEFFICIENT WAY TO SOLVE THE PROB THAN LNDG. AFTER LNDG WITH FOULED ROPE, WAS INFORMED THAT THIS PRACTICE WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND I WAS FIRED. SEEMS THAT ALTHOUGH 999/1000 BOUNCES JUST BOUNCE, THERE IS SOME CHANCE THAT THE HOOK CAN SNAP FORWARD ENOUGH TO FOUL THE REAR CTL SURFACES WITH THE ROPE. INADVERTENT BOUNCES ARE NOT MERELY INEFFICIENT, BUT UNSAFE. DELIBERATE BOUNCES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. AFTER HEARING THIS EXPLANATION, I UNDERSTOOD HOW WRONG MY DECISION MAKING PROCESS HAD BEEN, BUT TOO LATE, OF COURSE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.