Cessna 150E accident near Selbyville, Delaware, June 7, 1993
On June 7, 1993 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N3981U, was destroyed in an accident near Selbyville, Delaware (Warrington Airport). It was an other work-use flight 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE BANNER TOWING OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1993 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Selbyville, Delaware · Warrington Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N3981U · no longer on the register · serial 15061381
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A BANNER TOW PICKUP. ANOTHER TOW PILOT WHO WAS PERFORMING GROUND DUTIES STATED THAT THE APPROACH AND CLIMB SEEMED NORMAL UNTIL ABOUT 50 TO 100 FEET, WHEN THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STARTED TO CLIMB AGAIN. THE WITNESS SAID THE BANNER PICKUP WAS NORMAL, BUT THEN THE TOW AIRPLANE 'STARTED TO DESCEND AND WOBBLE THE WINGS.' THE BANNER WAS RELEASED AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSE 'PITCHED UP.' THE WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE THEN APPEARED TO STALL AND DID A 180 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT AND HIT THE GROUND IN A STEEP ATTITUDE. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT COMPLETED BANNER TOWING TRAINING ABOUT A MONTH EARLIER, AND HE HAD SINCE ACQUIRED ABOUT 33 HOURS TOTAL TIME OF BANNER TOWING EXPERIENCE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 257 hours in all; 35 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 124 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 2, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,100 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from SBY, 32 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.