Cessna 150 accident near Detroit, Michigan, September 27, 1999
On September 27, 1999 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N40LM, was destroyed in an accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit City airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane which resulted in the inadvertent spin. A factor was the pilot snagged the banner pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 1999 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit City
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N40LM · no longer on the register · serial A1500418
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he had made two successful banner tows before the accident occurred. On the third banner tow, the hook '...missed the banner rope and grabbed one of the pick-up poles instead. It was my intent to keep my aircraft and attached pole over the airport to minimize the possibility of property damage or injury to people on the ground if the pole broke free of my hook.' The pilot attempted to stay within the airport boundary and he entered a climbing left turn. He reported, 'I added too much left rudder which immediately put me into a spin. Altitude at this point was approximately 300' AGL.' He reported he attempted to do a spin recovery but the airplane impacted the runway in a 30 degrees nose low attitude. The airplane bounced twice before impacting a jet blast wall.
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
- Flight time: 664 hours in all; 284 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 588 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,255 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1999; 300 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DET at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 4,025 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:05 pm from DET
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.