A banner tow pilot reports that his banner bridle broke twice, dropping his banner onto a freeway an...

Attributes
ACN	336817
Time
Date	199605
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : luk
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	336817
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In both incidents, the bridle portion of the tow rope broke. The bridle is a loop attached to the pickup end of the tow rope. In both cases the rope was new and was rated as 1300 pound breaking strength. In the first instance, the rope broke after 1/2 hour of flight. The banner came down on the 4 northbound lanes of I471 approximately 1 mi south of the ohio river. There was a break in traffic when the banner contacted the road and there were no known traffic incidents. A motorist removed the banner to the roadside. Traffic may have been delayed several mins. The banner was recovered but not the rope. On sunday, the bridle broke with 2 ropes just after reaching 1000 ft AGL. This time the banner came down into some tall trees (approximately 100 ft trees). This is a residential area. The nearest house was perhaps 100 ft away. In both cases, the pickup hook and cable remained attached to the airplane. The bridle from this incident is being tested to see if it has a 1300 pound breaking strength and the owner of the towing service plans to question the banner maker to see if they have any ideas on a cause.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BANNER TOW PLT RPTS THAT HIS BANNER BRIDLE BROKE TWICE, DROPPING HIS BANNER ONTO A FREEWAY AND INTO SOME TALL TREES.

Narrative: IN BOTH INCIDENTS, THE BRIDLE PORTION OF THE TOW ROPE BROKE. THE BRIDLE IS A LOOP ATTACHED TO THE PICKUP END OF THE TOW ROPE. IN BOTH CASES THE ROPE WAS NEW AND WAS RATED AS 1300 LB BREAKING STRENGTH. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, THE ROPE BROKE AFTER 1/2 HR OF FLT. THE BANNER CAME DOWN ON THE 4 NBOUND LANES OF I471 APPROX 1 MI S OF THE OHIO RIVER. THERE WAS A BREAK IN TFC WHEN THE BANNER CONTACTED THE ROAD AND THERE WERE NO KNOWN TFC INCIDENTS. A MOTORIST REMOVED THE BANNER TO THE ROADSIDE. TFC MAY HAVE BEEN DELAYED SEVERAL MINS. THE BANNER WAS RECOVERED BUT NOT THE ROPE. ON SUNDAY, THE BRIDLE BROKE WITH 2 ROPES JUST AFTER REACHING 1000 FT AGL. THIS TIME THE BANNER CAME DOWN INTO SOME TALL TREES (APPROX 100 FT TREES). THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE NEAREST HOUSE WAS PERHAPS 100 FT AWAY. IN BOTH CASES, THE PICKUP HOOK AND CABLE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE AIRPLANE. THE BRIDLE FROM THIS INCIDENT IS BEING TESTED TO SEE IF IT HAS A 1300 LB BREAKING STRENGTH AND THE OWNER OF THE TOWING SVC PLANS TO QUESTION THE BANNER MAKER TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY IDEAS ON A CAUSE.

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.

A banner tow pilot reports that his banner bridle broke twice, dropping his banner onto a freeway and into some tall trees.