Stinson 108-1 accident near San Jose, California, November 20, 2006
On November 20, 2006 at about 8:38 pm local time, a Stinson 108-1, registered N97949, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Off 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
Partial loss of engine power due to a seized exhaust valve during cruise flight. Rough terrain at the forced landing site was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 2006 · about 8:38 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Off Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-1 · all 108-1s on the register
- Registration
- N97949 · registry record · serial 108-949
- 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 was flying above hilly terrain southeast of the airport when he heard a loud bang, followed by a violent vibration coming from the engine. The pilot added that the engine did not experience a total loss of power, but performed poorly due to the severe vibration. The pilot reduced the throttle and the vibration subsided, but when he added more throttle the violent vibration returned. The pilot then decided that it was unsafe to continue the flight and began searching for a place to land. He made a forced landing in a pasture, which was uneventful until one of the main landing gear contacted a "deviation" in the ground. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. In a phone interview with the investigator-in-charge, a mechanic, who recovered the wreckage, reported that he examined the engine and discovered that the number 3 cylinder exhaust valve was stuck. The corresponding push rod tube was also bent, and the number 3 connecting rod was still intact.
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: 525 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 525 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2006; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4150 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 8:15 pm
- Destination: San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
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.
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 LAX07LA040.