- Date
- April 16, 1990, 12:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- N. Myrtle Beach, SC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N22953Cessna 150H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900416009529A
- Case key
- 8231
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper course reversal procedure which resulted in a stall at a low altitude precluding a recovery before water impact.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During an aerial banner tow flight the airplane stalled at low altitude. It subsequently impacted the ocean adjacent to the Beach in a steep nose down attitude. Prior to the flight, on the same morning, the pilot had discussed with another banner tow pilot his theory of completing a course reversal. The method suggested involved a steep turn at a speed that was near the stall speed of the airplane. The same pilot was trailing the airplane when the accident occurred. He reported that the wings rocked several times before a turn was initiated, during which the stall occurred. Also, he did not observe any speed increase before the turn began.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N22953
- Reported as
- Cessna 150H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15068640
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Fun Flight Air Tours
- Registered owner
- Grand Strand Air Services
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 450 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MYR, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.