Stinson 108-2 accident near Hastings, Michigan, July 5, 1985
On July 5, 1985 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N9306K, was destroyed in an accident near Hastings, Michigan. 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
- July 5, 1985 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hastings, Michigan · 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
- N9306K · no longer on the register · serial 1082306
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO BREAK IN THE NEWLY OVERHAULED ENGINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN FLYING AROUND THE LOCAL AREA FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES WHEN HE HEARD A CLANK AND THE ENGINE LOST COMPLETE POWER. THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT A TREE LANDING WAS IMPENDING DUE TO THE LACK OF AN OPEN FIELD. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A NOSE HIGH, WINGS LEVEL,STALLED ATTITUDE. THE ACFT CAME TO REST IN A TREE ABOUT 10 FT AGL. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR HAD FAILED. METALLURGICAL EXAM DETERMINED HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE.
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: 295 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 295 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,078 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4165 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from GRR
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.