Stinson 108-1 accident near Sitka, Alaska, February 11, 2003
On February 11, 2003 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Stinson 108-1, registered N71X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sitka, Alaska (Sitka airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop, and the collapse of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 2003 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Sitka, Alaska · Sitka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-1 · all 108-1s on the register
- Registration
- N71X · registry record · serial 1285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard-surfaced runway in calm, or nearly calm, wind conditions. The pilot said he made an intentional main gear wheel landing, and kept the tailwheel off the runway for a portion of the landing roll. When he lowered the tailwheel to the runway, he lost directional control, and the airplane swerved to the left. During the ground loop, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the runway. The right wing and the right main landing gear gearbox received substantial damage. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot stated that the airplane was going too fast when he elected to lower the tailwheel onto the runway, and he believes the excessive speed precipitated a loss of control.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 360 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 313 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 9, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,960 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 2002; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,230 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SIT Sitka AK at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 900 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 4:14 pm from PASI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.