Piper PA-18-150 accident near N Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, July 3, 2008
On July 3, 2008 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N6851Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near N Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was a banner-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the banner tow operator to inspect banners for deterioration, resulting in a portion of a banner separating in-flight from another banner tow airplane, and colliding with the accident banner tow airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2008 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- N Myrtle Beach, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6851Z · no longer on the register · serial 18-8134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was towing a banner northeast, parallel to the beach at 500 feet agl. Another company airplane was towing a banner southwest at 600 feet agl, about 1,000 feet off the shoreline parallel to the beach, when its banner separated aft of the main panel. The separated banner collided with the propeller of the airplane at 500 feet agl, and the engine stopped. The pilot made a forced landing to the ocean, and the airplane came to rest inverted. Examination of the banner revealed the material was deteriorated and tore easily by hand. There are no Federal Aviation Administration procedures for construction, maintenance, or inspection of banners.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering
- Ditching during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › (general) › Not inspected
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,808 hours in all; 659 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 88 in the last 30 days; 1,643 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,515.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2008; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Conway SC at 12:15 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KCRE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.