Stinson 108-2 accident near Near Skwentna, Alaska, August 8, 1993
On August 8, 1993 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N97978, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Skwentna, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT'S PERFORMANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1993 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Near Skwentna, Alaska · map
- 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
- N97978 · registry record · serial 108-975
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT, WHO HAD 5 HOURS EXPERIENCE IN MAKE/MODEL, MISJUDGED THE LENGTH OF TAKEOFF RUN NEEDED BY HIS NEWLY-ACQUIRED FLOAT PLANE. ABORTING THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT, THE PILOT ELECTED TO DITCH IN A SWAMP AT THE END OF THE LAKE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 1992; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,235 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-435-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: LHD Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:45 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N97978 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC93LA140.