Pilot of a stinson 108 towing a banner over the los angeles area was forced to make an emergency lan...

Attributes
ACN	479933
Time
Date	200007
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lax.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	479933
Person 2
Affiliation	company other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was towing a banner on the afternoon of jul/xa/00. After completing a proper preflight and refueling, I departed lgb airport at XA00 with a banner in tow. I had been flying around downtown los angeles for about 1 hour when my engine began to fail. I was about 1600 ft MSL when I radioed to a company banner tower that I was suffering engine problems. I immediately switched fuel tanks although I had plenty in both tanks. I then went through a normal engine troubleshoot checklist. I tried adjusting the mixture, propeller, throttle, and magnetos to no avail. With the engine surging and sputtering, I had been descending. I committed to land when my altitude went below 900 ft MSL. I selected the carpool lane of the northbound side of the 110 freeway in downtown los angeles. All attempts to troubleshoot had failed. I kept the banner on the aircraft to avoid endangering people on the ground. I landed safely in the carpool lane. There were no injuries sustained to anyone and no accidents. The aircraft sustained what appeared to be minimal damage. I hope that instructors will focus on emergency procedures with their students. The most important factor in this situation is simply to deal with it calmly and not panic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A STINSON 108 TOWING A BANNER OVER THE LOS ANGELES AREA WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG ON A FREEWAY WHEN HIS ENG QUIT, AND ATTEMPTS TO RESTART IT FAILED. THERE WAS ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND NO INJURIES OR ANY OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Narrative: I WAS TOWING A BANNER ON THE AFTERNOON OF JUL/XA/00. AFTER COMPLETING A PROPER PREFLT AND REFUELING, I DEPARTED LGB ARPT AT XA00 WITH A BANNER IN TOW. I HAD BEEN FLYING AROUND DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES FOR ABOUT 1 HR WHEN MY ENG BEGAN TO FAIL. I WAS ABOUT 1600 FT MSL WHEN I RADIOED TO A COMPANY BANNER TOWER THAT I WAS SUFFERING ENG PROBS. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED FUEL TANKS ALTHOUGH I HAD PLENTY IN BOTH TANKS. I THEN WENT THROUGH A NORMAL ENG TROUBLESHOOT CHKLIST. I TRIED ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE, PROP, THROTTLE, AND MAGNETOS TO NO AVAIL. WITH THE ENG SURGING AND SPUTTERING, I HAD BEEN DSNDING. I COMMITTED TO LAND WHEN MY ALT WENT BELOW 900 FT MSL. I SELECTED THE CARPOOL LANE OF THE NBOUND SIDE OF THE 110 FREEWAY IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. ALL ATTEMPTS TO TROUBLESHOOT HAD FAILED. I KEPT THE BANNER ON THE ACFT TO AVOID ENDANGERING PEOPLE ON THE GND. I LANDED SAFELY IN THE CARPOOL LANE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED TO ANYONE AND NO ACCIDENTS. THE ACFT SUSTAINED WHAT APPEARED TO BE MINIMAL DAMAGE. I HOPE THAT INSTRUCTORS WILL FOCUS ON EMER PROCS WITH THEIR STUDENTS. THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THIS SIT IS SIMPLY TO DEAL WITH IT CALMLY AND NOT PANIC.

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.

Pilot of a stinson 108 towing a banner over the los angeles area was forced to make an emergency landing on a freeway when his engine quit, and attempts to restart it failed. There was only minor damage to the aircraft and no injuries or any other property damage.