Stinson 108-3 accident near Lake Placid, Florida, October 5, 2003
On October 5, 2003 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N831C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Placid, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 2003 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Placid, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N831C · registry record · serial 108-3831
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was flying over Lake June at 400 feet when he entered a 180-degree steep turn. When the pilot rolled out of the turn, the airplane lost lift, descended and collided with a tree adjacent to the lake and subsequently sank in the water.
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: 180 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 155 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 25, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 2003; 175 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin GA-350-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X07 Lake Wales FL at 7:20 pm
- Destination: Lake Placid FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BOW, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.