Cessna 150H accident near N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, April 16, 1990
On April 16, 1990 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22953, was substantially damaged in an accident near N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COURSE REVERSAL PROCEDURE WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AT A LOW ALTITUDE PRECLUDING A RECOVERY BEFORE WATER IMPACT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1990 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22953 · no longer on the register · serial 15068640
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AERIAL BANNER TOW FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE STALLED AT LOW ALTITUDE. IT SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE OCEAN ADJACENT TO THE BEACH IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, ON THE SAME MORNING, THE PILOT HAD DISCUSSED WITH ANOTHER BANNER TOW PILOT HIS THEORY OF COMPLETING A COURSE REVERSAL. THE METHOD SUGGESTED INVOLVED A STEEP TURN AT A SPEED THAT WAS NEAR THE STALL SPEED OF THE AIRPLANE. THE SAME PILOT WAS TRAILING THE AIRPLANE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE REPORTED THAT THE WINGS ROCKED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE A TURN WAS INITIATED, DURING WHICH THE STALL OCCURRED. ALSO, HE DID NOT OBSERVE ANY SPEED INCREASE BEFORE THE TURN BEGAN.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fun Flight Air Tours
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from MYR, 10 miles away
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.