Banner Tow Pilot Killed

Oh christ! I have a very bad feeling about this. I'm almost sure this is my company and I was suppose to go on this trip.

God speed to the pilot, whom was a great guy:(
 
Erik, sorry for your loss.

A witness was interviewed on TV and described the banner waving erratically behind the tow plane which was flying low. The banner then dragged into the corn and brought the plane down with it.
 
Okie_Pilot said:
Wow, that's different. Banner got caught up in the corn and pulled him down?

R.I.P.
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This is especially sad because if it did indeed happen as the witness describes (and who knows if it really did), then the use of a $5 part could have prevented it. Back when I was pulling rags, I installed safety links on all of our hooks in order to prevent a scenario such as this. The safety link is a bent piece of metal that basically looks like a big paper clip. The weight and drag of the banner won't affect it. But the moment the hook or banner catch on something, the metal unfolds/opens up and the rope falls away. Very very sad. My condolences to the family of the pilot. :(
 
Report said pilot was from Ohio.

The news anchor said the "FCC is out here investigating"
 
Joe Gremlin said:
This is especially sad because if it did indeed happen as the witness describes (and who knows if it really did), then the use of a $5 part could have prevented it. Back when I was pulling rags, I installed safety links on all of our hooks in order to prevent a scenario such as this. The safety link is a bent piece of metal that basically looks like a big paper clip. The weight and drag of the banner won't affect it. But the moment the hook or banner catch on something, the metal unfolds/opens up and the rope falls away. Very very sad. My condolences to the family of the pilot. :(
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Thanks for the info and knowledge, Joe. I was wondering if there was some type of safety device along with the device similarly used when towing gliders to drop the banner when needed.
 
Okie_Pilot said:
Thanks for the info and knowledge, Joe. I was wondering if there was some type of safety device along with the device similarly used when towing gliders to drop the banner when needed.
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With gliders, we will use a rope between 80 and 200% of the weight of the glider (in practice it is going to be on the lower end, because ropes fray and are only brand new the first time we use them. If the rope is stronger than that, we add a weak link. We obviously have an emergency release in the cockpit, and I test it every day that I fly.

I have never seen a banner tow plane without a release for the banner (they need to drop it before they land). Don't know if they also use weak links, but doing so is both cheap and smart.
 
Okie_Pilot said:
Thanks for the info and knowledge, Joe. I was wondering if there was some type of safety device along with the device similarly used when towing gliders to drop the banner when needed.
Click to expand...

We just have manual releases in the aircraft.
 
Bummer, Prayers to his friends and family.

My grandfather used to fly banners in Jax beach out of a now defunct airstriip back in the 50's, he had some funny stories about things going wrong and having to cut the banners loose over the woods.
 
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