Stinson 108 accident near Rochester, Indiana, March 25, 1983
On March 25, 1983 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Stinson 108, registered N97270, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rochester, Indiana (Fulton County airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1983 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, Indiana · Fulton County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N97270 · no longer on the register · serial 108270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK AND NOSED OVER DURING LANDING. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AND THE WIND WAS FROM 210 DEGREES AT 5 KTS. THE PILOT REPORTED HIS RIGHT FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE THE RUDDER PEDAL AND 'ATTRIBUTES THIS TO STINSONS AND MANY OTHER ACFT WERE NOT DESIGNED FOR PILOTS OF ABOVE AVERAGE HEIGHT. AS I PULLED TO FREE MY RIGHT FOOT, THE RIGHT RUDDER PEDAL WAS ALSO PULLED IN ACTION AND THE CRAFT VEERED LEFT INTO A SNOW BANK ALONG THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER IN SOFT SNOW, UPSIDE DOWN'.
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
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,015 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 418 Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.