Cessna 150L N10128

Summary

On 2 September 2010 at about 14:21 local time, a Cessna 150L registered N10128, operated by Drake Aerial Enterprises LLC DBA, was involved in an accident near Boone, Iowa, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 2010 at 14:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Boone, Iowa, United States

Coordinates

42.0667, -93.8169

Aircraft

Cessna 150L

Registration

N10128

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Drake Aerial Enterprises LLC DBA

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Banner Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Boone → Boone

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN10LA514

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while performing low-level banner towing operations with a gusting wind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot conducted a downwind takeoff on the local banner-tow flight. The airplane subsequently picked up the banner on a downwind low approach. A witness reported that the engine sounded normal. An eyewitness reported the airplane was not gaining much altitude and that the banner was very close to being dragged in crops on departure. A witness near the accident site said that the banner got caught in the corn while the airplane was maneuvering. Another witness saw the banner separate from the airplane before the airplane banked and went into a dive. The pilot was trained in and endorsed for banner towing operations and emergencies. However, his logbook did not contain an endorsement for a flight review. The local wind was 11 knots gusting to 20 knots. A wreckage examination revealed no preimpact anomalies. The propeller blades exhibited chordwise abrasion and leading edge nicks consistent with an engine producing power at the time of impact. A global positioning system unit showed that, after the airplane picked up the banner, it made a tight downwind turn to the left and headed northeast during its climbout. The data showed the airplane then turned to the south and subsequently descended.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.