20260512005529A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Stinson 108-3 · Quilcene, WA · May 12, 2026

Date: May 12, 2026 · 10:50 local
Place: Quilcene, WA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N588C
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR26LA183
Reported as: Stinson 108-3
Reported engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 977 total

N588CRegistered now · Stinson 108-3S/N 108-3588 · Built 1947 Airframe modelStinson 108-3 Engine modelFranklin 6A4165 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

At approximately 10:35 aircraft was southbound at 4000 feet AGL. While cruising at 2600 RPM pilot experienced sudden engine vibration and consequent engine power loss. Noise and vibration increased, smoke visible from engine, oil appeared on windshield, smoke entered cockpit. Pilot identified potential landing site as an open field and initiated approach to left pattern for southbound landing. Pilot lost sight of landing area on final due to oil on the windshield. Pilot maintained descent until flare, touchdown, applied brakes, and continued to decrease speed until the main tires decended into a shallow ditch and the plane came to rest causing damage to the empennage. Upon engine tear down inspection with NTSB, discovered holes in top of engine case and case cover. Number 3 piston missing from cylinder and found in pieces inside oil pan. Exhaust valve stem for #3 cylinder inside exhaust valve guide and majority of exhaust valve head found in oil pan.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 10:35 AIRCRAFT WAS SOUTHBOUND AT 4000 FEET AGL. WHILE CRUISING AT 2600 RPM PILOT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ENGINE VIBRATION AND CONSEQUENT ENGINE POWER LOSS. NOISE AND VIBRATION INCREASED, SMOKE VISIBLE FROM ENGINE, OIL APPEARED ON WINDSHIELD, SMOKE ENTERED COCKPIT. PILOT IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL LANDING SITE AS AN OPEN FIELD AND INITIATED APPROACH TO LEFT PATTERN FOR SOUTHBOUND LANDING. PILOT LOST SIGHT OF LANDING AREA ON FINAL DUE TO OIL ON THE WINDSHIELD. PILOT MAINTAINED DESCENT UNTIL FLARE, TOUCHDOWN, APPLIED BRAKES, AND CONTINUED TO DECREASE SPEED UNTIL THE MAIN TIRES DECENDED INTO A SHALLOW DITCH AND THE PLANE CAME TO REST CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE. UPON ENGINE TEAR DOWN INSPECTION WITH NTSB, DISCOVERED HOLES IN TOP OF ENGINE CASE AND CASE COVER. NUMBER 3 PISTON MISSING FROM CYLINDER AND FOUND IN PIECES INSIDE OIL PAN. EXHAUST VALVE STEM FOR #3 CYLINDER INSIDE EXHAUST VALVE GUIDE AND MAJORITY OF EXHAUST VALVE HEAD FOUND IN OIL PAN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR26LA183Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportQuilcene, WAOn May 12, 2026, at about 1049 Pacific daylight time, a Stinson 108-3 airplane, N588C, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Quilcene, Washington. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal…May 12, 2026 · Substantial damage