Stol UC-1 accident near Saipan, Cq, May 21, 1995
On May 21, 1995 at about 11:30 am local time, a Stol UC-1, registered N108CA, was destroyed in an accident near Saipan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inflight collision with the ocean for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1995 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Saipan, CQ
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stol UC-1 · all UC-1s on the register
- Registration
- N108CA · registry record · serial 014
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE CRASHED AT SEA UNDER UNDETERMINED CIRCUMSTANCES ABOUT 35 MILES NORTH OF SAIPAN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND SANK. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT AT 0720 ON A FLIGHT TO AN UNINHABITED ISLAND 180 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF SAIPAN. AFTER DEPARTURE THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE FLIGHT AND ANY FAA FACILITY, AND THERE WERE NO DISTRESS CALLS. BOTH OF THE PASSENGERS MADE CELLULAR PHONE CALLS TO THEIR FAMILIES AT 1100 AND 1130. THE PASSENGERS SAID THEY WERE 45 MILES FROM SAIPAN AND RETURNING BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER AT PAGAN. THE PILOT WAS HIRED BY THE OWNER AS BOTH PILOT AND A MECHANIC FOR THE AIRCRAFT. NO RECORD WAS FOUND THAT THE PILOT HAD EVER BEEN ISSUED A SEAPLANE RATING FOR ANY AIRCRAFT CLASS OR OBTAINED SEAPLANE TRAINING AT ANY KNOWN FACILITY IN THE MARIANAS. WITNESSES SAID THE PILOT REPORTED A HISTORY OF FUEL PUMP AND GENERATOR PROBLEMS ON THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT THE PILOT CHANGED FUEL PUMPS BEFORE THE FLIGHT. THE RIGHT GENERATOR WAS INOPERATIVE FOR THE FLIGHT. NO AIRCRAFT OR SURFACE VESSEL ENGAGED IN THE SEARCH FOR THE AIRCRAFT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING ANY UNUSUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,150 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,210 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1995; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: PGSN at 7:20 am
- Destination: TT01 Pagan
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft; scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from PGS, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.