Piper PA-18-150 accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, March 24, 2007
On March 24, 2007 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4330Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was a banner-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to follow emergency procedures when he failed to jettison the advertising banner prior to his forced landing in water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2007 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4330Z · registry record · serial 18-8650
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with water following a loss of engine power. According to the pilot, he picked up a advertising banner at a private airport and proceeded at 1,000 feet agl to the beach. Upon arrival at the beach, he turned to a 250-degree heading and descended to 500 feet agl. The pilot stated that he switched to the right fuel tank, which was full, and experienced a power failure. He switched back to the left fuel tank but could not restore power. He landed in about two feet of water substantially damaging the airplane. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector found that the pilot had departed the private airport with 5-gallons of fuel in the left tank and 18-gallons of fuel in the right tank. When the pilot switched tanks the engine stalled. His attempt to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The engine was not equipped with an electric starter and it had stopped wind milling. The pilot conducted a forced landing onto the beach and did not drop the banner. Damage to the airplane consisted of the tail section, and damage to the airframe structure. There were no mechanical problems reported by the pilot or discovered during the post-accident examination of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 437 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 353 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Conway SC at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from MYR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4330Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.