Grumman G-164A accident near Orlando, Florida, May 25, 1999
On May 25, 1999 at about 3:16 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N711ZY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Executive Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 pilots misjudgment of altitude during an attempted banner tow pick-up. This resulted in the banner becoming entangled around the main landing gear. The pilot made a go-around. On landing rollout the banner became entangled around a runway light, and the airplane nosed over inverted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1999 · about 3:16 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N711ZY · no longer on the register · serial 1183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated her first banner tow pick-up was unsuccessful, and received clearance from the tower for a second attempt. On the second attempt the banner became entangled around the left main landing gear. She made a go-around and landed on runway 25. The banner became entangled around a landing light, and the airplane nosed over.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:22 pm from ORL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.