Stinson 108-3 accident near Buffalo, Wyoming, May 15, 1983
On May 15, 1983 at about 11:55 pm local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N585C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buffalo, Wyoming (Buffalo Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- May 15, 1983 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Buffalo, Wyoming · Buffalo Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N585C · registry record · serial 1083585
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF ON RWY 30 WITH A LEFT X-WIND FROM 210 DEG AT 25, GUSTING 30 KTS. AT APRX 45 MPH, AFTER HE HAD RAISED THE TAIL OF THE ACFT INTO THE TAKEOFF ATTITUDE, A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED & THE ACFT WEATHERVANED TO THE LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT WING TIP HIT THE RWY, THE PROPELLER CONTACTED SOD BESIDE THE RWY, AND REPORTEDLY, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT SAID THERE WAS A SMALL THUNDERSTORM APRX 2 MI AWAY, APPROACHING THE ARPT.
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: 174 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,239 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 1S3 Forsyth MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.