Stinson 108-1 accident near Tecumseh, Michigan, April 17, 1998
On April 17, 1998 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Stinson 108-1, registered N97876, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tecumseh, Michigan (Merillat airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and his failure to maintain directional control. A contributing factors were wind gusts and crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1998 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Tecumseh, Michigan · Merillat · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-1 · all 108-1s on the register
- Registration
- N97876 · registry record · serial 108-876
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after making a wheel landing. the airplane began to weather vane to the left. He reported applying the right brake at which time the tail began to rise. He stated he did not have enough elevator authority to lower the tail and the propeller contacted the ground. The airplane slid 18 feet on the cowling prior to it nosing over. The landing was made on runway 36 with reported winds, 11 miles away, from 280 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 18 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
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,660 hours in all; 298 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 18,665 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,230 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 34G Croswell MI at 8:22 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,900 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from ADG, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI98LA132.