Stinson 108 accident near Ninilchik, Alaska, July 13, 2023
On July 13, 2023, a 1946 Stinson 108, registered N97719, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Ninilchik, Alaska (Ninilchik airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 1 cylinder intake valve head.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2023
- Place
- Ninilchik, Alaska · Ninilchik · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108, built 1946 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N97719 · registry record · serial 108-719
- 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 while en route he noticed a loss of engine power and the oil pressure decreasing. He performed a forced landing to a road. During the landing rollout the right wingtip struck a sign, which resulted in substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the No. 1 cylinder was fractured from the engine and remained partially attached by exhaust tubes and the intake manifold. The intake valve stem was fractured about an inch from the interior base of the valve. The piston and intake valve were destroyed by the internal forces in the engine and the fragments were not located.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 204 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 149 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 25, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,211 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin O335-150-B4 (piston); 626 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAHO Homer AK
- Destination: PAEN Kenai AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from AHO, 24 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAHO 121953Z 18003KT 10SM SCT007 BKN011 13/11 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP212 T01280106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on August 21, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Engine Examination | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.