Stinson 108-1 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, June 29, 1987
On June 29, 1987 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Stinson 108-1, registered N8399K, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach County Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- June 29, 1987 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach County Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-1 · all 108-1s on the register
- Registration
- N8399K · registry record · serial 1081399
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE ACFT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. THE STUDENT PLT CORRECTED THE DRIFT WITH LEFT RUDDER, HOWEVER HE THEN ADDED FULL POWER. THE ACFT THEN GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT, DURING WHICH THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,373 hours in all; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,775 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1987; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,078 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,485 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from PBI, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.