Stinson 108-2 accident near Elbert, Colorado, January 25, 2003
On January 25, 2003 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N9335K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elbert, Colorado (Kelly Air Park 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control resulting in the ground loop. Factors relating to the accident were the crosswinds and the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2003 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Elbert, Colorado · Kelly Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N9335K · registry record · serial 1082335
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing touch and go landings in the traffic pattern. As he was performing a full stop landing on runway 35, he caught a gust of wind which raised the right wing approximately 20 to 30 degrees. The pilot attempted to level the wings but could not. The airplane ground looped to the right and the left wing struck the ground causing substantial damage to the left outboard wing. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. Wind conditions on the airport at the time of the accident were 040 degrees at 12 knots with gusts to 17 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: flight instructor, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 612 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 532 as pilot in command; 225 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,693.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 2002; 63.7 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: C)15 Elbert CO at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,800 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:49 pm from MNH, 1 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DEN03LA036.