# NTSB NYC89LA186: Champion 7KCAB, N5084X, Shirley, NY, August 5, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 5, 1989, 10:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place: Shirley, NY
- Coordinates: 40.790805, -72.869384 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7908&lon=-72.8694&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report June 2, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36454
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC89LA186
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36454/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC89LA186

## Probable cause

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED, AND HIS DELAY TO JETTISON THE BANNER, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering
  - load jettison - delayed, pilot in command (cause)
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering

## Analysis

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 24 FOR A BANNER PICKUP ON THE INACTIVE RUNWAY. THE PILOT FLEW A STANDARD PATTERN, ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTIONS, THEN PICKED UP THE BANNER. AFTER THE PICKUP, HE LOWERED THE NOSE FOR A SHALLOWER CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT ROCKED GENTLY LEFT AND RIGHT, BUT THE PILOT MAINTAINED A STRAIGHT FLIGHT PATH. HE LOWERED THE NOSE FURTHER, BUT THE ROCKING CONTINUED. HE THEN RELEASED THE BANNER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND & WAS DAMAGED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N5084X (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CHAMPION 7KCAB
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15F
- Airframe hours: 3806
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Operator: Brookfield Aviation,Inc.
- Registered owner: Island Aerial Ads., Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 28, 1989, 10 hours before
- Airport: Brookhavens

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 1,196 total, 163 in this make and model, 996 as pilot in command, 208 in the last 90 days, 73 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 91 °F, dew point -0 °F

## 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 19890805027409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890805027409A), Aug 5, 1989: Bbavia 7KCAB, Shirley, NY, Substantial damage. Near stall after banner pickup. Ditched banner but settled to ground in semistall. Impacted wings level nose down.

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.