Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Allegheny County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania 15122
Thursday, June 14, 2001 12:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
As the airplane departed from the runway, the pilot deployed the tow hook and climbed to 150 feet. The pilot then "sidestepped" to the right of the runway to pick up the banner, which was set up on the grass about half way down the runway. The pilot "crossed the pickup rope at too slow of an airspeed, approximately 55-60 MPH, versus a normal target speed of approximately 70 to 80 MPH." The pilot then pitched the airplane upward, catching the rope with the tow hook, and soon realized that "there were problems in climbing out." After about 5 seconds, the pilot considered releasing the banner, but decided against the idea, due to releasing the banner on a crossing runway. After clearing the runway area, the pilot released the banner, about 100 feet above the ground, "and in an incipient stall attitude." Unable to climb, and not enough altitude to gain any additional airspeed, the pilot began to raise and lower the nose of the airplane to avoid a stall. As the pilot maneuvered the airplane to an open parking lot for a forced landing, the airplane struck power lines and impacted a utility pole, shearing off the right wing. The airplane descended to the ground, and came to rest upright.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while picking up a banner, and subsequent delay in releasing the banner, resulting in a stall/mush.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/14/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1210 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | West Mifflin |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 15122 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Allegheny County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | AGC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 310 |
| Airport Elevation | 1252 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1143 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 130 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AGC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1252 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 3004 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11359 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 14 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1345 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 7 2002 7:47AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FSDO-03 Allegheny Co., PA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N61138 |
| NTSB Number | NYC01LA146 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 150J |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15070829 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1600 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 29 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 73 |
| Airframe Hours | 2795 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | David J. Shimeck |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Export |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 15632 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | AGC |
| Departure City | West Mifflin |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1205 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | AGC |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 31 2001 1:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 3825 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |