Stinson 108-3 accident near Blackfoot, Idaho, July 10, 2013
On July 10, 2013 at about 2:00 am local time, a Stinson 108-3, registered N703C, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Blackfoot, Idaho (Mccarley Fld 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
A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2013 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Blackfoot, Idaho · Mccarley Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N703C · no longer on the register · serial 108-3703
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noncertificated pilot reported that the airplane had been airborne for about 15 minutes and was about 1,000 feet above ground level when the engine experienced a partial loss of power and the airplane began to lose altitude. The pilot switched fuel tanks, but there was no change in power, so he then made a forced landing to a wheat field. During the landing, the airplane flipped over and then came to rest inverted. The pilot estimated that about 4 to 5 gallons of fuel were on board at the time of the accident. The right fuel tank was not breached, and it contained residual quantities of fuel below the usable limit. The left fuel tank was not breached; however, its fuel tank cap was displaced during the accident sequence, so an accurate assessment of the quantity of fuel in the left tank could not be determined; however, a 4.5-foot-diameter area of fuel-soaked soil was found near the left wing. Although water was found in the left tank, it may have entered through the displaced fuel tank cap. A postaccident engine examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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 engine power (partial) during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 55 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4165 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U02 Blackfoot ID at 1:45 am
- Destination: U02 Blackfoot ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KIDA, 22 miles away
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.