- Date
- May 21, 1998, 12:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place
- Griffith, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2916JCessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980521019789A
- Case key
- 10882
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 aircraft's speed not maintained by the pilot, which resulted in the aircraft stalling in close proximity to the ground.
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 pilot stated that was taking off on runway 08 with 20-degrees of flaps and when he was approximately 100' above the runway he released the banner hook out the pilot's window. The pilot stated that shortly after he dropped the hook the aircraft began to sink while the aircraft was in a left turn. The pilot stated that, 'the nose came down and the plane would not fly level.' In an oral statement to the Griffith police, the pilot stated that the aircraft was, 'Mushing, and would not fly.' The pilot stated in his written statement that the aircraft hit the ground nose first, flipped over and came to rest in an inverted position. A witness to the accident stated that the pilot did not utilize all of the available runway for the takeoff and was 'Surprised' with how little runway the aircraft used to become airborne. The witness stated that he saw the aircraft pitch-up before the aircraft descended towards the ground. The witness stated that the hook had freely fallen from the aircraft and that there was no evidence of the hook contacting the ground or surrounding terrain. In a post accident investigation of the aircraft, no anomalies were found with the aircraft controls or engine.
Factual narrative
On May 21, 1998, at 1240 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150, N2916J, piloted by a commercial rated pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted the terrain, following a loss of control during takeoff from runway 08 (4013' x 50', dry, asphalt) at the Griffith-Merrillville Airport, near Griffith, Indiana. The commercial pilot was on the initial climb with the intentions of circling the airport to retrieve a banner on the next pass. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 banner tow flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot's written statement, the pilot stated that was taking off on runway 08 with 20-degrees of flaps and when he was approximately 100' above the runway he released the banner hook out the pilot's window. The pilot stated that shortly after he dropped the hook the aircraft began to sink while the aircraft was in a left turn. The pilot stated that, "the nose came down and the plane would not fly level." In an oral statement to the Griffith police, the pilot stated that the aircraft was, "Mushing, and would not fly." The pilot stated in his written statement that the aircraft hit the ground nose first, flipped over and came to rest in an inverted position.
In a telephone conversation with the Investigator In Charge (IIC), a witness to the accident stated that the pilot did not utilize all of the available runway for the takeoff and was "Surprised" with how little runway the aircraft used to become airborne. The witness stated that he saw the aircraft pitch-up before the aircraft descended towards the ground. The witness stated that the hook had freely fallen from the aircraft and that there was no evidence of the hook contacting the ground or surrounding terrain.
In a post accident investigation of the aircraft, no anomalies were found with the aircraft controls or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2916J
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15065716
- Airframe hours
- 3,877
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2C, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aid Air Lines Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 10, 1997 · 85 hours before
- Departed
- O5C
- Airport
- 05C · Griffith-Merrillville, runway 8, 4,013 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 2,900 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VPZ, 18 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.