- Date
- May 17, 1986, 12:35 local (16:35 UTC)
- Place
- Selbyville, DE
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4004JCessna 150G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860517084049A
- Case key
- 11246
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The acft impacted trees while attempting to release a banner at the drop zone. The acft was reportedly equipped with separate towing and release mechanisms, so that up to four banners could be towed in succession without the acft having to land. The plt reported that the release mechanism for the banner in tow during the accident had failed to release. Post-crash examination of the acft revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction; when the suspect mechanism was actuated after the crash, it functioned properly. Examination also revealed that one of the other mechanisms was in the release position. After the attempted banner drop, the plt reportedly began a climb without checking to see if the banner had released, and did not use the climb procedure necessary for a banner in tow.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4004J
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15065304
- Engine
- Lycoming 0320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Atlantic Coastal Aerial Advt, doing business as Sky Banners
- Registered owner
- Thomas J. Calvanelli
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1986
- Airport
- ON7 · Warrington Airport, runway 14, 2,250 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 26
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 523 total · 33 in this make and model · 367 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.