Stinson 108-3 accident near Port of del Bonita, Montana, May 5, 2025
On May 5, 2025 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1948 Stinson 108-3, registered N108RM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Port of del Bonita, Montana (Whetstone Intl 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
The pilot’s loss of directional control while landing in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2025 · about 3:30 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Port of del Bonita, Montana · Whetstone Intl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-3, built 1948 · all 108-3s on the register
- Registration
- N108RM · registry record · serial 108-5257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that prior to landing in the tailwheel equipped airplane, he obtained the current weather at his destination airport, where the wind was reported as calm. During the landing, after touchdown, he felt a large wind gust push the airplane to the left. The airplane then veered left and departed the runway through a barbed wired fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the right elevator and fuselage. The pilot confirmed that the right side rudder steering arm separated during the accident sequence. The pilot reported no other preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. At about the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 25, with the wind from 360° at 22 knots.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 311 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 184 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 5, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,331.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 2025; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CTB Cut Bank MT at 3:12 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07/2, 4,440 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 22 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from KCTB, 29 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCTB 051456Z AUTO 36022KT 10SM BKN060 OVC075 06/M03 A3024 RMK AO2 PK WND 36030/1444 SLP251 T00611033 51021 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident airplane, postaccident.
Photograph 2 – Left fuselage area and landing gear damage.
Photograph 3 – Lower cowling damage.
Photograph 4 – Right horizontal stabilizer and damaged elevator.
Photograph 6 – Right horizontal stabilizer and damaged elevator.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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 21, 2025. 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/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array-courtesy of the Pilot | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Rom-pilot | PDF, 2 pages | 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
- N108RM on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Stinson 108 Voyager and Station Wagon 1,270 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Stinson 1,730 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470L 19 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Whetstone International · nearest airport
- Cut Bank International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Montana 1,121 since 1982 · 166 in the last ten years
- Montana 6,049 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR25LA151.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.