Stinson 108 accident near Greenfield, Indiana, March 27, 1997
On March 27, 1997 at about 6:38 pm local time, a Stinson 108, registered N97120, was destroyed in an accident near Greenfield, Indiana (Pope Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of engine power due to restricted movement in the exhaust valve and rotted/weathered ignition harness, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertant stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1997 · about 6:38 pm local time
- Place
- Greenfield, Indiana · Pope Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N97120 · no longer on the register · serial 108-1120
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, witnesses observed the airplane's engine sputter at approximately 200 feet over the departure end of the runway. The airplane banked 40 to 90 degrees to the left and stalled. The pilot had an engine loss two weeks prior to this accident during which he flew the airplane back to the runway and landed on a taxiway. Subsequence examination of the engine revealed stuck exhaust valves on number six and number one cylinders. Both ignition harnesses had numerous cracks in the ground shielding, with electrical tape over some of the cracks. Three new ignition harnesses had been installed with no maintenance entry in the engine logbook. The remaining ignition harnesses appeared to be the originals.
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: 1,356 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1,356 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,272 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 11, 1996; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GFD at 6:35 pm
- Destination: 5I1 Greenwood IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from IND, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.