Stinson 108-1 accident near Kalispell, Montana, September 16, 2008
On September 16, 2008 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Stinson 108-1, registered N8963K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Kalispell, Montana (Glacier Park International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2008 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · Glacier Park International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-1 · all 108-1s on the register
- Registration
- N8963K · registry record · serial 108-1963
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing at his destination in the conventional gear airplane. The airplane touched down normally and approximately 300 feet into the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left, which resulted in a right main gear collapse under the fuselage. The right wing tip was also bent. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical anomalies
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,153 hours in all; 122 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CTB Cut Bank MT
- Destination: GPI Kalispell MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 9,007 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from GPI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.