Piper PA-18A accident near Conway, South Carolina, July 28, 1990
On July 28, 1990 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A, registered N2789P, was destroyed in an accident near Conway, South Carolina (Sky-Signs airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOWLINE INTERFERENCE WITH THE RUDDER, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPINN. A FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT TO ADEQUATELY GUARD AGAINST SUCH INTERFERENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1990 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Conway, South Carolina · Sky-Signs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A · all PA-18As on the register
- Registration
- N2789P · no longer on the register · serial 18-4424
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BANNER TOW OPNS WERE BEING CONDUCTED. THE PLT TOOK OFF TO MAKE THE 1ST BANNER TOW OF THE DAY. WHEN THE TOW HOOK (GRAPPLING HOOK ON A ROPE) WAS DEPLOYED, THE TOW LINE BCM ENTANGLED IN THE RUDDER CTL & INTERFERED WITH ITS MOVEMENT. ACCORDING TO OPERATOR PSNL, THE PLT SHOULD HAVE VISUALLY CHECKED THE GRAPPLING HOOK LINE AFTER IT WAS DEPLOYED TO ASSURE THAT IT WAS NOT FOULED ON THE RUDDER BELL CRANK; AND IF IT WAS, HE SHOULD HAVE LNDD TO FREE THE LINE, RATHER THAN PICK UP THE BANNER. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A HOOK RELEASE MECHANISM (IAW STC SA 1-349). HOWEVER, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT WHEN THE BANNER WAS CAPTURED, ITS WT PLACED TENSION ON THE TOW HOOK LINE & PRECLUDED ITS RLS AS WELL AS CAUSING A DEFLECTED RUDDER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STALLED & SPUN TO THE GND. OPERATOR PSNL RPRTD THAT THE ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONTROLLABLE WITH THE LINE FOULED ON THE RUDDER BELL CRANK. FAA CIRCULAR (AC 43.13-2A) STATED THAT THE SYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TESTED TO INSURE THERE WAS NO INTERFERENCE WITH THE TAILWHEEL OR ADJACENT STRUCTURE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,040 hours in all; 344 in this make and model; 355 in the last 90 days; 177 in the last 30 days; 2,885 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 3, 1990; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,070 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Sky Signs INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.