Grand Strand Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29582
Wednesday, August 3, 1988 13:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE BANNER STAGING AREA TO DROP A BANNER; THE RELEASE MECHANISM IN THE COCKPIT FAILED TO OPERATE AND THE BANNER REMAINED IN TOW. XWIND CONDITIONS BLEW THE BANNER INTO ANOTHER BANNER ON THE GROUND WHICH WAS AWAITING PICK-UP. THE BANNER-IN-TOW BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE GROUND BANNER AND PULLED IT ALOFT. THE PLT STATED THAT HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND. AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL, HE PULLED THE POWER TO 'SAVE (THE) ENGINE'; THE AIRPLANE 'QUIT FLYING' AND DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE MAIN LDG GEAR COLLAPSED ON IMPACT. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE BANNER RELEASE CABLE HAD SEPARATED AT A NICOPRESS SPLICE. THE OPERATOR HAD SPLICED ADDITIONAL CABLE TO LENGTHEN THE CABLE WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED IN THIS AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City N. MYRTLE BEACH
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29582
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GRAND STRAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 33
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1305 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CRE
Elevation of weather observation facility 33
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1633
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37806
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:01PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9692S
NTSB Number ATL88LA225
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CHAMPION
Aircraft Model 7GCAA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7GCAA
Aircraft Serial Number 126
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 3836
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THROWER, WALTER HENRY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 101 LOUISE AVE
Aircraft Owner City BELMONT
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28012
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PHOENIX FLIGHT SIGNS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address GRAND STRAND AIRPORT
Operator City N. MYRTLE BEACH
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29582
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --