Stinson 108 accident near Klamath Falls, Oregon, July 9, 2019
On July 9, 2019 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1948 Stinson 108, registered N6642M, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Klamath Falls, Oregon (Klamath Falls 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanic’s failure to identify an engine performance issue, which led to a partial loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate the airplane with a known mechanical deficiency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2019 · about 8:20 pm local time · cases in 2019
- Place
- Klamath Falls, Oregon · Klamath Falls · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108 3, built 1948 · all 108s on the register
- Registration
- N6642M · registry record · serial 108-4642
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had departed on a cross-country flight. About 1,000 ft above ground level, the engine lost partial power. The pilot made a forced landing in an open field, during which the left wing sustained substantial damage as it contacted the ground. The airplane had a recurring engine performance deficiency that the pilot was aware of, and he used a temporary fix to work around the issue. The mechanic who performed maintenance on the engine before the accident thought that the issue involved the carburetor. Postaccident examination of the carburetor revealed no malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed multiple incorrectly set valve clearances and multiple cylinders with lower-than-acceptable compression. Thus, the mechanic who performed maintenance on the engine failed to identify the engine’s out-of-adjustment valves or the low-cylinder compression.
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 takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Malfunction other cases naming the engine
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,401 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4165 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: LMT Klamath Falls OR at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 4:21 pm from KLMT
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KLMT 092021Z 11003KT 10SM BKN120 24/05 A3007 RMK AO2 T02390050
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 -N6642M, left view.
Photo 2 – Underside of the left wing, showing the bent aileron.
Photo 3 – Top view of the left wing, showing damage extending beyond the tip.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 4, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Interviews | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Airframe and Engine Examination Report | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Service Manual Excerpt | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6642M on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Stinson 108 Voyager and Station Wagon 1,268 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Stinson 1,728 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Franklin 6A4165 SERIES 768 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Crater Lake/Klamath Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,011 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR19LA207.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.