Stinson 108-2 accident near Rainier, Washington, November 8, 1998
On November 8, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Stinson 108-2, registered N9755K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rainier, Washington (Flying B airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from objects in the approach path. Factors include the marked wires near the end of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rainier, Washington · Flying B · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-2 · all 108-2s on the register
- Registration
- N9755K · registry record · serial 108-2755
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness stated that 'the approach appeared normal, when the plane suddenly pitched nose down into the ground and flipped.' The pilot stated to deputies that this was his first flight in the accident aircraft, and that 'he must have lost altitude more quickly than he realized, and caught the power lines.' The airplane impacted and came to rest inverted at the northwest end of the airstrip. In a written statement, the pilot noted that the runway has a displaced threshold, and that he was aiming at the green runway markers. He stated that the aircraft sank into the wires; the landing gear caught the wires and the airplane went in on the nose and flipped upside down. The pilot also noted that he may have experienced windshear.
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
- Flight time: 1,392 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 977 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1997; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,330 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8WA0 at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.