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Pilot of piper PA18-150, while towing a banner, lost control of aircraft in a thunderstorm downdraft and descended below the MSA over residential area before regaining control and stopping further descent. In addition, the engine oil temperature went to red line. No cause of oil temperature problem has been found.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 372572 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bjc airport : 48v |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5300 msl bound upper : 5700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | PA-18/19 Super Cub |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 142 |
| ASRS Report | 372575 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Return from stadium with banner in tow to 48V due to red line oil temperature. In process of thunderstorm avoidance was caught in multiple downdrafts severe enough to be unable to climb above 5700 ft MSL to as low as 5300 ft MSL. Due to red line temperature avoided dense population. But just 7 NM southeast 48V downdraft led aircraft to within 300 ft of house tops with banner. Just when ready to ditch banner, was able to climb. Cause of oil temperature unknown. Towing banner in thunderstorms or near, will re-evaluate proximity to thunderstorms, investigate aircraft problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF PIPER PA18-150, WHILE TOWING A BANNER, LOST CTL OF ACFT IN A TSTM DOWNDRAFT AND DSNDED BELOW THE MSA OVER RESIDENTIAL AREA BEFORE REGAINING CTL AND STOPPING FURTHER DSCNT. IN ADDITION, THE ENG OIL TEMP WENT TO RED LINE. NO CAUSE OF OIL TEMP PROB HAS BEEN FOUND.
Narrative: RETURN FROM STADIUM WITH BANNER IN TOW TO 48V DUE TO RED LINE OIL TEMP. IN PROCESS OF TSTM AVOIDANCE WAS CAUGHT IN MULTIPLE DOWNDRAFTS SEVERE ENOUGH TO BE UNABLE TO CLB ABOVE 5700 FT MSL TO AS LOW AS 5300 FT MSL. DUE TO RED LINE TEMP AVOIDED DENSE POPULATION. BUT JUST 7 NM SE 48V DOWNDRAFT LED ACFT TO WITHIN 300 FT OF HOUSE TOPS WITH BANNER. JUST WHEN READY TO DITCH BANNER, WAS ABLE TO CLB. CAUSE OF OIL TEMP UNKNOWN. TOWING BANNER IN TSTMS OR NEAR, WILL RE-EVALUATE PROX TO TSTMS, INVESTIGATE ACFT PROB.
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.