Stinson 108 accident near Bandera, Washington, September 1, 2019
On September 1, 2019 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1946 Stinson 108, registered N97699, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Bandera, Washington (Bandera State airport). 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
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for a simulated rejected takeoff, which resulted in a runway overrun and noseover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2019 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bandera, Washington · Bandera State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 Undesignat, built 1946 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N97699 · registry record · serial 108-699
- 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 he wanted to practice a rejected takeoff on a downhill, 2,344-ft-long grass runway. During the simulated rejected takeoff, the airplane floated and did not settle immediately on the runway. He did not believe he could go around, so he landed the airplane and applied brakes. Subsequently, the airplane overran the runway, went down an embankment, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he should have practiced the maneuver on a longer runway.
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
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 456 hours in all; 274 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 395 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 30, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,933.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4W0 Bandera WA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 4W0 Bandera WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,344 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KSMP, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA19CA522.