Stinson 108-3 accident near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, May 13, 2002
On May 13, 2002 at about 6:59 pm local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N2243M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Tuscaloosa Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots loss of directional control during landing roll, and subsequent inadvertent ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2002 · about 6:59 pm local time · cases in 2002
- Place
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama · Tuscaloosa Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N2243M · registry record · serial 108-4127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll the pilot lost directional control of the airplane, and veered off to the right of the runway.The right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane reentered the runway and ground looped. No mechanical problems were reported by the pilot.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,003 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,547 as pilot in command; 107 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 10, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,778 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2001; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-435-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAI Marianna FL at 8:40 pm
- Destination: TCL Tuscaloosa AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:59 pm from TCL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2243M on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Stinson 108 Voyager and Station Wagon 1,270 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Stinson 1,730 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-435-C 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport · nearest airport
- Marianna Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alabama 1,211 since 1982 · 173 in the last ten years
- Alabama 4,351 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL02LA098.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.