Stinson 108 accident near Beach City, Ohio, April 25, 2024
On April 25, 2024 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1946 Stinson 108, registered N97517, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Beach City, Ohio. 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
A total loss of engine power due to the due to the pilot’s delayed application of carburetor heat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2024 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Beach City, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108, built 1946 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N97517 · registry record · serial 108-517
- 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 about one hour into the flight the engine rpm began to decrease. The rpm quickly worsened, and he applied carburetor heat, but the engine did not respond before losing all power. The pilot conducted a forced landing to rough terrain, during which the airplane struck a ditch, substantially damaging the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that loss of engine power was likely the result of carburetor icing. The weather reported at an airport about 13 nautical miles from of the accident site included a temperature of 14°C and a dew point 3°C. The calculated relative humidity at this temperature and dewpoint was 47 percent. Review of the icing probability chart contained within Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 revealed the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were "conducive to serious icing at glide 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Response/compensation
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 894 hours in all; 384 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 8, 2024
- Medical certificate: None (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,581 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 2023; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 150 (piston); 1,581 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I74 Urbana OH at 4:45 pm
- Destination: OH15 Minerva OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PHD, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPHD 251853Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM BKN047 14/03 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP257 T01390028
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 21, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Carb Icing Probability Chart | picture | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 ERA24LA201.