Stinson 108-2 accident near Levelock, Alaska, March 23, 2004
On March 23, 2004 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N97124, was substantially damaged in an accident near Levelock, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in an overrun. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, a tailwind, and a slippery, ice-covered landing surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 2004 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Levelock, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N97124 · registry record · serial 108-1124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was landing a wheel-equipped airplane on a frozen lake that was about 1,000 feet long. The landing was the second landing of the day at the lake. The pilot said he was landing toward the north, and after touchdown he applied the brakes. The airplane failed to stop, and slid off the frozen surface into an area of muskeg. The pilot said the airplane received damage to the propeller and the main landing gear attach points at the fuselage. He indicated that after the accident, he noticed a 5 to 10 knot wind from the south, and the ice surface of the lake was slippery due to slight melting. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
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: 253 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 213 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 29, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 2,230 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5NK Naknek AK at 3:18 pm
- Destination: Levelock AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC04LA036.