Stinson 108-2 accident near Morgan Hill, California, March 27, 1982
On March 27, 1982 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N9455K, was destroyed in an accident near Morgan Hill, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1982 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Morgan Hill, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N9455K · no longer on the register · serial 10824551
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED MAKING REPEATED LOW PASSES IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. THIS WAS ALSO CLOSE TO THE HOME OF ONE OF THE PASSENGERS. THE FINAL PASS WAS MADE IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION OVER A DAM AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL. JUST BEYOND THE DAM, THE PILOT MADE A STEEP CLIMB TO AVOID A KNOLL OR HILL. COMING OUT OF THIS MANEUVER, HE HEADED SOUTH AT A SLOW SPEED, DIRECTLY INTO A BOXED OR BLIND CANYON. HE MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE CANYON AND CRASHED INTO TREES JUST AFTER COMING OUT OF THE TURN.
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: student
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,078 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: San Hose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 136°F (58°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.