Stinson 108-2 accident near Willow, Alaska, July 28, 1986
On July 28, 1986 at about 6:15 am local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N942D, was destroyed in an accident near Willow, Alaska (Willow airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1986 · about 6:15 am local time
- Place
- Willow, Alaska · Willow · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N942D · no longer on the register · serial 108-2942
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 5 TO 10 MIN PRIOR TO THE ACDNT, SVRL WITNESSES IN THE VICINITY OF THE WILLOW ARPT SAW THE ACFT HEADED SOUTHBOUND. THEY RPRTD THE ENG WAS RUNNING ROUGH, BUT THEY SAW NO SMOKE OR FIRE. APRX 3 MI FURTHER SOUTH, OTHER WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT MAKE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TWD THE ARPT. THEY RPRTD THE ENG WAS RUNNING ROUGH & THEY BELIEVED BLACK SMOKE WAS TRAIL- ING FROM THE LOWER ENG AREA. AS THE ACFT CONTD TWD THE ARPT, OTHERS HEARD &/OR SAW THE ACFT. SOME RPRTD THE ENG WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH. OTHERS CLOSER TO THE ARPT SAW NO SMOKE & SVRL THOUGHT THE ENG WAS NOT RUNNING. ONE WITNESS NEAR THE ARPT STATED THE AIRSPEED WAS SLOW JUST BEFORE THE ACFT HIT TREES AT THE EDGE OF A WOODED AREA. THE ACFT CRASHED & BURNED APRX 1600 FT FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 31. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE & A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG WERE MADE, BUT NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS VERIFIED. HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY IMPACTED & FIRE.
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: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,078 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Z22 at 1:00 am
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,600 ft by 105 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.