- Date
- June 3, 1998, 16:37 local (20:37 UTC)
- Place
- Selbyville, DE
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3731JCessna 150G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980603012119A
- Case key
- 28306
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
Inadequate compensation for wind conditions by the pilot, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane. High, gusting winds were contributing factors.
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
According to the pilot, when he picked up a banner, a gust of wind caught the left wing and banked the airplane to the right. Despite his efforts of applying left rudder and left aileron, the airplane continued to the right, into the tree line that surrounded the grass strip. He dropped the banner and tried to climb, but the airplane descended into the trees, and impacted the ground. The closest weather reporting station about 10 miles west of the accident site, reported the wind at the time of the accident as 310 degrees at 12 knots, with wind gusts to 18 knots. The pilot said that he estimated the wind speed to be 15 knots with wind gusts to 25 knots. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane or the engine.
Factual narrative
On June 3, 1998, at 1637 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150G, N3731J, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees during a banner pick-up from a private grass strip near Selbyville, Delaware. The certificated commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The banner towing flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, when he picked up a banner, a gust of wind caught the left wing and banked the airplane to the right. Despite his efforts of applying left rudder and left aileron, the airplane continued to the right, into the tree line that surrounded the grass strip. He dropped the banner and tried to climb, but the airplane descended into the trees, and impacted the ground.
The pilot reported over 313 hours of total flight experience including 130 hours in make and model. He had over 50 hours of banner towing experience. The closest weather reporting station about 10 miles west of the accident site, reported the wind at the time of the accident as 310 degrees at 12 knots, with wind gusts to 18 knots.
The pilot said that he estimated the wind speed to be 15 knots with wind gusts to 25 knots. He said that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane or the engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3731J
- Reported as
- Cessna 150G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15065031
- Airframe hours
- 7,416
- Engine
- Lycoming L-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sky Banners
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 22, 1998 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE, runway 36, 2,010 × 115 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
- 25
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 313 total · 130 in this make and model · 279 as pilot in command · 84 in the last 90 days · 67 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3731J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.