Cessna 150J accident near Grosse Ile, Michigan, October 3, 1993
On October 3, 1993 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N5522G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grosse Ile, Michigan (Grosse Ile Muni airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 PILOT MISJUDGED ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE DURING THE BANNER PICKUP, WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOW ROPE SNAGGING THE LANDING GEAR, AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE LANDING WITH THE BANNER ATTACHED, WHICH RESULTED IN A FAILURE (OR INABILITY) TO ATTAIN A FLARE FOR LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1993 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grosse Ile, Michigan · Grosse Ile Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N5522G · registry record · serial 15071022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING A BANNER TOW FLIGHT. WHEN HE PICKED UP THE BANNER, THE ROPE CAUGHT ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR INSTEAD OF THE TOW HOOK. THE BANNER CAUSED NO ADVERSE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS, SO THE PILOT FLEW THE TWO HOUR FLIGHT. HOWEVER, AS HE WAS LANDING, THE INCREASED DRAG OF THE BANNER CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO STALL AT ABOUT SIX FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND WAS DAMAGED.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,490 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,390 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,390 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1993; 201 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2G5 at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 2G5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,980 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from DET, 20 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.
Other NTSB records under N5522G 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.