Stinson 108 accident near Sandia, Texas, October 31, 1984
On October 31, 1984 at about 1:30 am local time, a Stinson 108, registered N97476, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sandia, Texas (Arrowhead airport). It was a business 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 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
- October 31, 1984 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Sandia, Texas · Arrowhead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N97476 · no longer on the register · serial 108-476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING A NIGHT LANDING AT AN UNLIGHTED AIRPORT. PLT STATED HE ELECUTED A LOW ANGLE APPROACH, KNOWING OF ELEVATED AND WOODED TERRAIN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. ON SIGHTING TREES TO HIS LEFT, HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND BUT STRUCK OTHER TREES BEFORE CLIMB COULD BE ESTABLISHED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AND GROUND LOOPED.
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: 218 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,642 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4 165BA3 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Global Harvesters Foundation I
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houston TX at 10:30 pm
- Destination: Sandia TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 31.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm
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.
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.