Stinson 108-2 accident near El Paso, Texas, May 6, 1996
On May 6, 1996 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N427C, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper inflight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing. A factor relating to the accident was: the unfavorable en route wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1996 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N427C · registry record · serial 1083427
- 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 at takeoff, he had 50 gallons of fuel on board. According to his calculations, the 50 gallons would allow a 4.6 hour flight, and his flight was planned to take 4.1 hours. The pilot reported that en route, he encountered wind which caused the estimated time of flight to extend to 4.7 hours. The airplane ran out of fuel approximately 8 miles from the destination airport. The pilot landed on a dirt road. Approximately 300 feet from the touchdown point, the road dropped slightly, and the airplane bounced. The airplane struck a small tree before coming to rest on its nose.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 563 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1996; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABI Abilene TX at 11:20 am
- Destination: ELP TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 86°F (30°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from ELP, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.