Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Foley, Alabama, August 23, 2017
On August 23, 2017 at about 1:55 pm local time, a 1974 Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N181TM, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Foley, Alabama (Resort airport). It was a banner-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The ground crew’s incorrect hook up of the banner, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2017 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Foley, Alabama · Resort · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC NO SERIES, built 1974 · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N181TM · registry record · serial 114-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during banner towing operations, he was on approach to drop the banner and pulled the tow release, but the banner did not release. The banner hit the ground and broke away from the airplane, and the airplane nosed over. The release mechanism has three hooks, but they typically only use the No. 1 hook. Postaccident examination of the hook release mechanism did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented the banner from being released. The pilot believed that the ground crew mistakenly set up the No. 3 hook to pick up and tow the banner instead of the No. 1 hook. Therefore, when he went to release the banner from the No.1 hook, there was nothing to release. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,066 hours in all; 732 in this make and model; 475.2 in the last 90 days; 145.6 in the last 30 days; 1,066 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,909 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 16, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 5,909 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0AL1 Foley AL at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 0AL1 Foley AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,640 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KJKA, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 15, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Email (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.