Stinson 108-2 accident near Alexander Lake, Alaska, October 25, 1987
On October 25, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N9398K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alexander Lake, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 25, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alexander Lake, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N9398K · no longer on the register · serial 1082398
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND HIS FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE WITH A TAILWIND AND GUSTY WINDS IN CHOPPY WATER CONDITIONS. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND IT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 288 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 118 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,364 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 1987; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Anderson Lake AK at 5:15 pm
- Destination: AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.