Stinson 108-3 accident near Duluth, Minnesota, September 28, 2001
On September 28, 2001, a Stinson 108-3, registered N653C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Duluth, Minnesota (Sky Harbor airport). 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 pilots failure to maintain directional control during the landing. Factors were the crosswind and the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2001
- Place
- Duluth, Minnesota · Sky Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N653C · no longer on the register · serial 108-3653
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over after departing the runway on landing. The pilot said in his written statement, "I came from a nearby airport, Aitkin and came to land at Sky Harbor. Crosswinds are always an issue at Sky Harbor. On the end of the roll out, the plane went off runway on to sand. Although this is not uncommon, this sand was soft and the front tires sunk into the sand stopping the plane instantly. It went over...." The pilot also stated that the accident, "...could have been avoided by flying to superior to avoid this crosswind, or being better at landing in crosswinds." A weather station located about 10 miles from the accident site recorded the wind as 90 degrees at 9 knots.
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: 122 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,240 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIT Aitkin MN at 11:30 pm
- Destination: D36 Duluth MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,050 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from DLH, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N653C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.