Stinson 108-1 accident near South St. Paul, Minnesota, January 16, 1989
On January 16, 1989, a Stinson 108-1, registered N8726K, was substantially damaged in an accident near South St. Paul, Minnesota (South St. Paul airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE CROSSWIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1989
- Place
- South St. Paul, Minnesota · South St. Paul · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-1 · all 108-1s on the register
- Registration
- N8726K · no longer on the register · serial 180-1726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 34 ON A SOD, SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, AT NIGHT, THE SKI EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, GROUND LOOPED, AND ENDED UP ON IT'S NOSE. A 50 DEGREE LEFT CROSSWIND OF ABOUT 20 KNOTS EXISTED AT THE TIME.
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: 296 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 296 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,366 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1988; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,230 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNH New Richmond WI at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.