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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2019 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Klamath Falls, Oregon · Klamath Falls · 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
- 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 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR19LA207.