- Date
- April 1, 1989, 11:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Bermuda Dunes, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N61315Cessna 150J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890401005159A
- Case key
- 26364
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
Improper assistance by ground personnel who inadvertently overloaded the airplane and the pilot's delay in jettisoning the load.
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 a banner tow operation, two banners were set on the ground for pickup. Just prior to pickup by one of the airplanes, a gust of wind blew one banner on top of the other . The airplane picked up both banners without the pilot knowing. The ground personnel notified the pilot who started a turn back to the airport to release the banners. However, the pilot could not maintain altitude. The pilot released the banners at low altitude and speed and was unable to climb. The pilot opted to land the airplane in an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a fence and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N61315
- Reported as
- Cessna 150J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15070958
- Airframe hours
- 3,340
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Desert Air Ads
- Registered owner
- Bloch, Clifford D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1988 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- Bermuda Dunes, CA
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
- 63
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,699 total · 1,400 in this make and model · 52 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 30 knots, gusting 50
- Visibility
- 30 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.