Stinson 108-3 accident near Cantwell, Alaska, September 18, 1991
On September 18, 1991 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N6436M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cantwell, Alaska (Cantwell 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 ENGINE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1991 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cantwell, Alaska · Cantwell · 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
- N6436M · no longer on the register · serial 1084436
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, AND AT ABOUT 150 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRPLANE LANDED AND NOSED OVER IN A MARSHY AREA ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. AFTER THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED, THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY. PROPER MAINTENANCE HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED ON THE AIRPLANE ENGINE FOR THE PREVIOUS 18 YEARS. THE PILOT WAS ALSO OPERATING WITH A REVOKED PILOT CERTIFICATE.
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
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1973; 330 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-165-B4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z68 Cantwell AK at 6:45 pm
- Destination: NONE Valdez Crk Mine AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.