Stinson 108-2 accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, March 24, 2000
On March 24, 2000 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N442C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Las Cruces International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control, resulting in an inadvertent ground loop/swerve. Factors were a burnt and unseated intake valve, and the tail wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2000 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Las Cruces International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N442C · registry record · serial 108-3442
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that shortly after he took off from runway 26, he felt the engine was not developing enough power, so he made a 180 degree turn and landed on runway 8 with an estimated tailwind velocity of 5 knots. He said he failed to maintain directional control and the airplane skidded to the left and off the runway, bending the right rear spar. The engine was later disassembled and examined. The no. 6 intake valve was found burnt and was not seating properly. The mechanic told the pilot this condition would account for the loss of power.
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: 683 hours in all; 638 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 646 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,231 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1999; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,230 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRU at 5:30 pm
- Destination: LRU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 6,073 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.