Stinson 108 accident near Quincy, California, September 8, 1996
On September 8, 1996 at about 4:09 pm local time, a Stinson 108, registered N97337, was substantially damaged in an accident near Quincy, California (Gansner Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's over leaning of the fuel mixture, which resulted in the initial loss of engine power; and continued fuel starvation, resulting from the pilot's inadvertent mispositioning of the fuel selector valve during an attempted restart of the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1996 · about 4:09 pm local time
- Place
- Quincy, California · Gansner Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N97337 · no longer on the register · serial 108337
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot leaned the engine before takeoff, but as the aircraft reached about 50 feet agl, the engine lost power. He switched tanks, enriched the mixture, pumped the throttle, and attempted to restart the engine. The engine started, but it ran for only a few seconds before quitting again. When his second attempted restart was unsuccessful, he executed a forced landing. During the forced landing, the airplane hit a log and was damaged. The pilot said he could have induced the problem by over leaning the engine. He also said he could have restricted the fuel flow when he inadvertently moved the fuel selector beyond the tank detent. The aircraft was fueled with a mixture of aviation fuel and auto gas, but it did not have an STC for auto gas. The aircraft had not had an annual inspection within the previous 12 months, and the pilot's medical certificate had expired.
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: 606 hours in all; 526 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 539 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,449 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1984; 337 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2O1 at 4:09 pm
- Destination: 0Q3 Schellvilleson CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from RBL, 70 miles away
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.
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.