Stinson 108 accident near Grove City, Pennsylvania, November 28, 1999
On November 28, 1999 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Stinson 108, registered N89F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grove City, Pennsylvania (Grove City Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 1999 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grove City, Pennsylvania · Grove City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N89F · registry record · serial 108-1549
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing rollout, the flight instructor said, 'I got it' and the student pilot relinquished the flight controls to him. The airplane then 'sharply, and suddenly' veered off the left side of the runway, impacted the opposite side of a ravine, and came to rest 200 feet from the centerline of the runway. There were no brake pedals on the right side of the airplane, and the parking brake knob was located on the 'far left panel.' Examination of the airplane revealed no pre-impact mechanical deficiencies. The flight instructor reported 400 hours of total tailwheel experience, 5 hours of which were in the make and model of the accident airplane. The student pilot reported 3 hours of total flight experience, all of which were in the accident airplane.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,070 as pilot in command; 1,230 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,078 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4150 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 29D at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from FKL, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.