Stinson SR-10E accident near Eliza Island, Washington, May 16, 2004
On May 16, 2004 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Stinson SR-10E, registered N27782, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eliza Island, Washington (Eliza Island Airstrip 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of altitude/distance resulting in an undershoot of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2004 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eliza Island, Washington · Eliza Island Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson SR-10E · all SR-10Es on the register
- Registration
- N27782 · registry record · serial 5949
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had never landed on the 1,600 foot grass airstrip before. Several days prior to the accident the pilot made 5 or 6 practice short field approaches and landings, safely stopping in less than 1,600 feet. During the accident approach and landing the pilot was dragging the airplane in under power in a higher than normal nose high attitude, which precluded him from seeing the first part of the runway. Thinking he would touch down in the first 100 feet, the pilot reduced the power to idle and started to flare when the airplane impacted a log, which was partially buried at the top of the beach bordering the end of the runway, separating both main landing gear. The aircraft subsequently slid down the runway approximately 100 to 150 feet before going up on its nose and falling back on its undercarriage and left wing. Both propeller blades were bent and the left wing tip was bent up approximately 20 degrees. No anomalies were reported with the airframe or engine which would have precluded normal operations. .
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 6,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,987.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 27, 2003; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVS Burlington WA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Eliza Island WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,830 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BLI, 8 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA04LA085.