Stinson 108-3 accident near Anacortes, Washington, September 23, 2002
On September 23, 2002 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N9641, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anacortes, Washington (Anacortes airport). It was a business 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
Normal braking application was excessive during the landing roll resulting in the aircraft nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2002 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Anacortes, Washington · Anacortes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N9641 · no longer on the register · serial 108-5193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll, he tapped the brakes before the tail wheel contacted the runway surface and the airplane nosed down. The propeller struck the runway surface and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted on the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 26, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,609 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2002; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 74S Anacortes WA at 10:56 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,015 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from NUW, 9 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.