Stinson 108-3 accident near Tyler, Texas, November 3, 1996
On November 3, 1996 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N798C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tyler, Texas (Pounds Field). 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
a loss of engine power due to failure of the crankshaft. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 1996 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tyler, Texas · Pounds Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N798C · registry record · serial 108-3798
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he observed the 'tachometer RPM changing drastically' while the airplane was on a 2 to 2.5 mile extended downwind leg for landing on runway 13. The pilot reported the anomaly to the tower, advising that he needed to land. The tower controller immediately issued the pilot a clearance to execute a left turn and proceed for a straight-in approach to runway 17. The pilot further stated that about 30 seconds after turning for runway 17, the engine started 'to make a loud popping and backfiring noise,' followed by total loss of power. The pilot notified the controller of his predicament and advised that he would not be able to reach the runway. The pilot elected to land the airplane on a nearby field to the right of his course, approximately 1.5 miles north of the threshold for runway 17. During the landing roll, the main gear hit a drainage ditch along the side of a road that crossed the field, and the airplane nosed over. Examination and teardown of the engine revealed that the crankshaft had failed in a heavy cast area (web) between the #1 and #2 rod journals.
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: 335 hours in all; 233 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,883 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1996; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JSO Jacksonville TX at 6:45 pm
- Destination: TYR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,849 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from TYR, 1 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.