# NTSB ATL02LA122: Cessna 172R, N9857F, N Myrtle Beach, SC, June 15, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 15, 2002, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC) - Place: N Myrtle Beach, SC - Coordinates: 33.813888, -78.728614 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8139&lon=-78.7286&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Columbia FSDO-13 - NTSB case key (mKey): 54940 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA122 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54940/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54940 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA122 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a banner tow pickup resulting in an inadvertent stall and uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot stated he was on his 3rd attempt to pick up a banner. The airplane was in a nose up attitude as the banner started to come off the ground. At this point the airplane started to sink. The pilot released the banner but the airplane continued to sink, and he lowered the nose. The airplane stalled and the wings were rocking back and forth. The airplane continued to sink until the left wing collided with the ground. The pilot stated he did not experienced any anomalies with the airplane before it stalled. Review of the Cessna 172R Skyhawk Information Manual indicates the airplane will stall at 44 KIAS or 51 KCAS with 0-degrees angle of bank. ## Factual narrative On June 15, 2002, about 1215 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172R, N9857F, registered to a private owner, operated by Barn Stormer as a 14 CFR Part 91 banner tow flight, crashed during a banner pick up in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Grand Strand Airport, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at 1205. The pilot stated he departed Grand Strand Airport and remained in closed traffic to pick up a banner in the banner tow area located west of runway 05. He made an approach and missed the banner, went back around, made another approach, and missed again. He picked up the banner on the 3rd attempt. The airplane was in a nose up attitude as the banner started to come off the ground, and the airplane started to sink. He released the banner, the airplane continued to sink, and he lowered the nose. The airplane stalled, the wings were rocking back and forth, and the flight controls would not control the airplane. The airplane continued to sink until the left wing collided with the ground. The airplane came to rest on its landing gear. When the pilot exited the airplane, he observed that both wings had been damaged and the engine assembly was bent downward. The pilot stated he did not experience any anomalies with the airplane before it stalled. The pilot did not report airspeed information when the airplane began to sink, a review of the Cessna 172R Skyhawk Information Manual indicates in Section 5, Performance, Figure 5-3, Stall Speeds, with a most rearward center of gravity with flaps up that the airplane will stall at 44 KIAS or 51 KCAS with 0-degrees angle of bank. It further states altitude loss during a stall recovery may be as much as 230 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9857F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9857F-2017-07-07), registration cancelled 2017-07-07, S/N R172-0005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172R - Registry model: [Cessna R172E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172e) (registry code 2072413) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R172-0005 - Airframe hours: 9712 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Barn Stormers - Registered owner: Charles Owens - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 29, 2002, 60 hours before - Departed: CRE, N Myrtle Beach, SC - Airport: CRE, North Myrtle Beach ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review May 15, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 556 total, 42 in this make and model, 478 as pilot in command, 156 in the last 90 days, 94 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: CRE ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020615015119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020615015119A), Jun 15, 2002: Cessna R172E, North Myrtle Be, SC, No damage. (-23) On June 15, 2002, Mr. Conner was the pilot-in-command of N9857F, a Cessna 172, and engaged in 14 CFR part 91 banner tow operation. He successfully picked… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54940. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 379 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445870&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector's Records Review Statement (item 2, .PDF, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445871&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Records%20Review%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements (item 3, .PDF, 220 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445872&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Extract Cessna 172R Skyhawk Information Manual (item 4, .PDF, 242 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40165981&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Extract%20Cessna%20172R%20Skyhawk%20Information%20Manual-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 5, .PDF, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445873&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - First in Flight Statement (item 6, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445874&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=First%20in%20Flight%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 7, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445875&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.