Cessna 150J N61138

Summary

On 14 June 2001 at about 16:10 local time, a Cessna 150J registered N61138 was involved in an accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 June 2001 at 16:10

Classification

Accident

Location

West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Allegheny County Airport (AGC)

Coordinates

40.3596, -79.9007

Aircraft

Cessna 150J

Registration

N61138

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

West Mifflin → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC01LA146

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while picking up a banner, and subsequent delay in releasing the banner, resulting in a stall/mush.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

As the airplane departed from the runway, the pilot deployed the tow hook and climbed to 150 feet. The pilot then "sidestepped" to the right of the runway to pick up the banner, which was set up on the grass about half way down the runway. The pilot "crossed the pickup rope at too slow of an airspeed, approximately 55-60 MPH, versus a normal target speed of approximately 70 to 80 MPH." The pilot then pitched the airplane upward, catching the rope with the tow hook, and soon realized that "there were problems in climbing out." After about 5 seconds, the pilot considered releasing the banner, but decided against the idea, due to releasing the banner on a crossing runway. After clearing the runway area, the pilot released the banner, about 100 feet above the ground, "and in an incipient stall attitude." Unable to climb, and not enough altitude to gain any additional airspeed, the pilot began to raise and lower the nose of the airplane to avoid a stall. As the pilot maneuvered the airplane to an open parking lot for a forced landing, the airplane struck power lines and impacted a utility pole, shearing off the right wing. The airplane descended to the ground, and came to rest upright.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.