Stinson 108-2 accident near La Conner, Washington, March 11, 1986
On March 11, 1986 at about 2:20 am local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N388C, was destroyed in an accident near La Conner, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- March 11, 1986 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- La Conner, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N388C · registry record · serial 108-3388
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS ON APPROACH FOR WATER LANDING IN A CANAL USED DURING PREVIOUS SUMMER FOR FLOATPLANE OPS AT DUSK. PLT WAS LOOKING FOR A SPECIFIC BOAT MOORED IN CANAL AS LANDING MARK, EXTENDED APPROACH PATH BEYOND NORMAL TOUCHDOWN POINT. ACFT STRUCK TELEPHONE CABLE SPANNING CANAL SEVERING VERTICAL TAIL AND THROWING ACFT OUT OF CONTROL. ACFT CONTACTED WATER SURFACE IN AGGRAVATED SKID, BOUNCED ONTO SHORELINE, STRIKING BYSTANDER.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,861 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 4,197 as pilot in command; 794 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,285 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 7, 1986; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S60 Kenmore WA at 5:49 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.