Stinson 10A accident near Defuniak Spring, Florida, March 19, 1983
On March 19, 1983 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Stinson 10A, registered N32260, was substantially damaged in an accident near Defuniak Spring, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1983 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Defuniak Spring, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 10A · all 10As on the register
- Registration
- N32260 · registry record · serial 7908
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE FAILED IN CRUISE AT 4500 FT MSL. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND THE PILOT COULD SEE THE AIRPORT BUT DID NOT TRY FOR IT BECAUSE OF THE INTERVENING TOWN. DURING THE LANDING OVER WIRES THE LANDING GEAR AND WINGS WERE DAMAGED. THE PILOTREPORTED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE TOP OF #3 CYLINDER & THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF VALVE FAILURE.
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: 251 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 198 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,504 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1982; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 4AC-199 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIA Marianna FL at 7:50 pm
- Destination: Beaumont TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from CEW, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 MIA83LA097.