# NTSB ERA22FA243: Piper PA-12, N4421M, North Myrtle Beach, SC, May 28, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: May 28, 2022, 14:14 local (18:14 UTC) - Place: North Myrtle Beach, SC · adjacent to runway 23 - Coordinates: 33.811535, -78.725278 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8115&lon=-78.7253&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA, Lycoming - NTSB case key (mKey): 105141 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22FA243 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105141/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105141 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA243 ## Probable cause The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in a subsequent aerodynamic stall at an altitude that was too low for recovery. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the banner tow airplane made a low approach to pick up a banner. Witnesses reported that after the tow rope was picked up, the airplane pitched up and maintained a steep angle of attack until it entered an aerodynamic stall and made a near vertical descent to impact. The airplane came to rest in a nose-down, near-vertical position about 300 ft from the banner pick up zone. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicology testing detected a low level of ethanol in the pilot’s liver tissue. Some or all of the small amount of detected ethanol may have been from postmortem production. It is unlikely that ethanol effects contributed to the accident. It is likely that after the banner pickup and during initial climb, while the airplane had a high-power setting, high pitch angle, and low airspeed, the pilot exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack, and the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall from which recovery was not possible due to the airplane's low altitude. ## Factual narrative On May 28, 2022, at 1414 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N4421M, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 banner tow flight. Witnesses standing on the flight line at Grand Strand Airport (CRE), North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, stated that the airplane approached to pick up a banner, picked up the tow rope, pitched up, and maintained a steep angle of attack until the airplane “stalled.” The left wing dropped, and the airplane made a near-vertical descent and impacted the ground about 300 ft from the banner pick up zone. One witness reported that the airplane entered a spin prior to impact. The owner of the banner tow company stated that the pilot was a long-term employee and most of his 15,200 hours of flying were in the accident airplane or another Piper PA-12. The accident site was located 126 ft to the right side of runway 23 and about midfield. The fuselage came to rest in a nose down, near vertical position. Both wings exhibited accordion-style crushing. Both fuel tanks were breached. Flight control continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to the flight controls. The instrument panel was located under the engine, and all instruments were impact-damaged. The engine was disassembled, and it was noted that there were no accessory drive splines installed in the engine accessory case, nor were they required to be; therefore, the engine crankshaft could not be rotated by hand. The right-side cylinders, Nos. 1 and 3, were removed to provide visual access to the internal engine components. Continuity of the crankshaft, camshaft, and valvetrain was confirmed by visual observation. The interiors of all four cylinders were examined with no anomalies noted. The magnetos were removed and sparked on all towers. Oil was present in the engine; the oil suction screen was examined, and no debris was noted. The propeller separated at the crankshaft and was buried about 2 ft in the ground. One propeller blade exhibited chordwise paint abrasion, “S” bending, and longitudinal twisting toward the blade face. The other propeller blade exhibited chordwise paint abrasion. Toxicological testing by the Federal Aviation Administration Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified ethanol at 0.016 g/dL in the pilot’s liver tissue. Ethanol was not detected in the pilot’s vitreous fluid or brain tissue. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4421M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4421M-2023-11-18), registration cancelled 2023-11-18, S/N 12-3375, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12 - Registry model: [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (registry code 7101202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-3375 - Year built: 1947 - Airframe hours: 19928 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Banner tow, Part 91 - Operator: Barnstormers Aerial Advertising LLC - Registered owner: Barnstormers Aerial Advertising LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 18, 2022 - Airport: CRE, Grand Strand Airport, runway 23, 5,997 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: lap only; toxicology performed; flight hours: 15,200 total, 15,200 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: CRE - METAR: KCRE 281835Z 18009KT 10SM CLR 28/21 A2988 RMK AO1 T02780211 ## 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 20220528007919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220528007919A), May 28, 2022: Piper PA-12, North Myrtle Be, SC, Destroyed, 1 fatal. After an uneventful banner drop, pilot was attempting to pick up second banner. The banner line was caught, and plane was executing the nose up maneuver, but… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105141. 9.9 MB in all. - Witness statements (item 1, PDF, 3 pages, 169 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14380117&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview-witensses-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 6.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14380167&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=maintenance%20records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photo's (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14377410&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photo%27s-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14256899&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Release-of-Wreckage_Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14256709&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tox1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - autopsy (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 197 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14377585&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Autopsy%20Memorandum%20Of%20Record-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination summary (item 7, PDF, 6 pages, 703 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14379310&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Examination%20Summary-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 229 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14464770&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N4421M%20Lycoming%20Party%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Medical factual memorandum for record (item 9, PDF, 2 pages, 138 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16574212&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA22FA243_MedicalFactualMemo-Rel.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.