Stinson 108 accident near Lyndonville, Vermont, February 27, 1986
On February 27, 1986 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Stinson 108, registered N108DT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lyndonville, Vermont (Lydonville airport). It was a personal 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 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
- February 27, 1986 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lyndonville, Vermont · Lydonville
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N108DT · no longer on the register · serial 108-4329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE PILOT PERFORMED A RUN UP AND ALL APPEARED NORMAL A GROUND RUN WAS COMMENCED. ABOUT 700' DOWN THE RUNWAY TRIM WAS SET TO CLIMB OUT AT ABOUT 76IAS. HOWEVER, THE PILOT STATED THAT A BAD DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCOUNTERED. A CHECK OF THE AIRSPEED WAS OK. AT 200 FT A DOWNDRAFT AND TAILWIND WERE ENCOUNTERED AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AT A RATE OF 50-75' A MINUTE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY IN ABOUT 3' OF SNOW. THE PLT'S FLT TIME WAS NOT REPORTED.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 12 in the last 90 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,356 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1985; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6B8 Lydonville VT at 7:10 pm
- Destination: MHT Manchester NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°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.