- Date
- April 25, 2025, 03:00 local (11:00 UTC)
- Place
- North Pole, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9308KStinson 108
- Defining event
- Enroute: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20250425005629A
- Case key
- 200094
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree. Contributing to the accident was his impairment from the effects of alcohol consumption.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot departed an unknown airstrip and made an emergency landing at a US Army airfield. The left wing strut was substantially damaged and consistent with an impact with a tree. The pilot was uncooperative with first responders and smelled of alcohol and appeared to be under the influence. A police officer found an open container of alcohol in the airplane and transported the pilot to the hospital.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9308K
- Reported as
- Stinson 108
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2308
- Engine
- Franklin, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Equipment
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- AEI, 3 nm away
- METAR
- PAEI 251055Z 34004KT 10SM OVC095 02/M05 A2975 RMK AO2A SLP081 T00171055
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 11, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.