Stinson 108 accident near Portales, New Mexico, December 19, 2015
On December 19, 2015 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1946 Stinson 108, registered N97411, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Portales, New Mexico (Portales Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 receiving instruction's improper brake application during the flight instructor's aborted landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's decision to perform flight training in an airplane without dual-equipped wheel brakes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2015 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Portales, New Mexico · Portales Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 1, built 1946 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N97411 · registry record · serial 108-411
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor, seated in the right seat, was providing tail-wheel flight instruction in an airplane equipped with wheel brakes only accessible to the pilot in the left seat. The flight instructor reported that he demonstrated the first landing to the pilot receiving instruction in the left seat. During the landing roll, he reported that he began to lose rudder effectiveness and the airplane started to veer to the right, so he applied full power to abort the landing. The flight instructor further reported that during the aborted landing, the pilot receiving instruction applied both toe brakes at the moment full power was applied. The flight instructor attempted to maintain directional control, but the left wing impacted the runway and the airplane veered off the runway to the left. The flight instructor reduced the power to idle and the airplane stopped in the terrain adjacent to the runway. The left wing and left aileron were substantially damaged. The pilot receiving instruction reported that he remained clear of the flight controls and brakes during the landing roll. He reported that he applied brakes only after the runway excursion to the left, after the flight instructor had reduced power to idle during the aborted landing. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident photos revealed deceleration skid marks leading off the runway first to the right, and additional deceleration skid marks about 550 feet further down the runway leading off to the left into the grass. The flight instructor reported the automated weather observing system about the time of the accident reported wind from 220 degrees true at 10 knots, which resulted in a 5 knot crosswind.
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 control on ground during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Unnecessary action › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 310 as pilot in command; 95 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 18, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,868.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150-B3 (piston); 2,179 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRZ Portales NM at 9:00 pm
- Destination: PRZ Portales NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,700 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 8:58 pm from KCVS, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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 GAA16CA090.