Stinson 108-3 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, January 19, 1990
On January 19, 1990 at about 10:06 pm local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N551C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill 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
THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE TO THE RUNWAY ON FINAL APPROACH, AND FAILED TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT, UNFAVORABLE WIND WIND CONDITIONS AND SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1990 · about 10:06 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N551C · no longer on the register · serial 1083551
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF AT NIGHT ON A LOCAL PROFICIENCY FLT. HE RPRTD THAT WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO PRACTICE LANDINGS, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE & WIND SHEAR. DURING THE 2ND LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN SNOW JUST SHORT OF THE RWY & NOSED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,513 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,442 as pilot in command; 609 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 165 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 3,999 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°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.
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.