What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 27, 1999, at 1705 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150, N40LM, was destroyed when it nose dived into the ground while in a downwind climb at the Detroit City Airport, Detroit, Michigan. The airplane was being used in banner tow operations. The airplane had hooked the banner, but cut it loose when the airplane appeared to stall. The pilot requested a go around and had turned downwind when the airplane impacted the ground. The commercial pilot received serious injuries. The 14 CFR part 91 flight had departed toledo, Ohio, at 1545 EDT and had flown to Detroit City Airport for the banner tow flights. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. (-23)the pilot was performing banner towing operation at kdet on runway 25 the winds were coming from 180 to 14 knots. As the pilot approach the banner which he was attempting to hoist, he received a call from the spotter on the ground which stated that aircraft was to low. The pilot began to pull up. The tail hook of the aircraft made contact with the aluminum banner hoist rod and missed the banner. The pilot made a tight left bank and lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft made one complete spin and as the pilot began to regain control of the aircraft the left main tire made contact with the ground which caused the right main, nose tire and propeller to strike the runway. The aircraft then bounced and impacted the grassy area about twenty feet from the first impact area. The aircraft became airborne a second time for approximately fifteen feet and then slid for about five feet and came to rest on a blast fence.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1999, AT 1705 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150, N40LM, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT NOSE DIVED INTO THE GROUND WHILE IN A DOWNWIND CLIMB AT THE DETROIT CITY AIRPORT, DETROIT, MICHIGAN. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING USED IN BANNER TOW OPERATIONS. THE AIRPLANE HAD HOOKED THE BANNER, BUT CUT IT LOOSE WHEN THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO STALL. THE PILOT REQUESTED A GO AROUND AND HAD TURNED DOWNWIND WHEN THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED TOLEDO, OHIO, AT 1545 EDT AND HAD FLOWN TO DETROIT CITY AIRPORT FOR THE BANNER TOW FLIGHTS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (-23)THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING BANNER TOWING OPERATION AT KDET ON RUNWAY 25 THE WINDS WERE COMING FROM 180 TO 14 KNOTS. AS THE PILOT APPROACH THE BANNER WHICH HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO HOIST, HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SPOTTER ON THE GROUND WHICH STATED THAT AIRCRAFT WAS TO LOW. THE PILOT BEGAN TO PULL UP. THE TAIL HOOK OF THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE ALUMINUM BANNER HOIST ROD AND MISSED THE BANNER. THE PILOT MADE A TIGHT LEFT BANK AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT MADE ONE COMPLETE SPIN AND AS THE PILOT BEGAN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT THE LEFT MAIN TIRE MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND WHICH CAUSED THE RIGHT MAIN, NOSE TIRE AND PROPELLER TO STRIKE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BOUNCED AND IMPACTED THE GRASSY AREA ABOUT TWENTY FEET FROM THE FIRST IMPACT AREA. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE A SECOND TIME FOR APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN FEET AND THEN SLID FOR ABOUT FIVE FEET AND CAME TO REST ON A BLAST FENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.