Cessna 150H accident near Gary, Indiana, September 26, 1993
On September 26, 1993 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N22313, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gary, Indiana. It was a business 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
an improper climb airspeed established by the pilot-in-command after banner pickup.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1993 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Gary, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N22313 · no longer on the register · serial 1506821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PICKED UP A 20'X 50' BANNER AND BEGAN WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS A NORMAL, FULL THROTTLE CLIMB AT 45 MPH. HE SAID THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTH DURING THE ENTIRE OPERATION. DURING THE CLIMB THE PILOT NOTICED THE CLIMB RATE DECREASE AND CHANGE TO A DESCENT. THE PIILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE AIRPORT TO AVOID POWERLINES IN THE FLIGHT PATH. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DESCEND MORE RAPIDLY DURING THE TURN. HE STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE BANNER DURING THE TURN BUT WAS UNSURE WHEN THE BANNER ACTUALLY DROPPED. AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED THE PILOT RETRACTED THE FLAPS WITH THE INTENTION OF EXTENDING THE GLIDE DISTANCE. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED MORE RAPIDLY BECAUSE HE PITCHED DOWN AFTER THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENGINE WAS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FULL STATIC RPM WITHOUT ANY ROUGHNESS. THE OWNER OF THE BANNER TOWING COMPANY STATED THE AIRPLANE SHOULD BE CLIMBED AT 60 KNOTS. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH TWO AIRSPEED INDICATORS. BOTH HAD RED MARKS ADJACENT TO THE 60 KNOT MARKINGS ON THE DIAL OF THE INSTRUMENT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,360 hours in all; 430 in this make and model; 408 in the last 90 days; 124 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command; 179 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,426 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1993; 156 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:20 pm from GYYD, 1 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.