- Date
- June 17, 1993, 21:45 local (Jun 18, 1993, 05:45 UTC)
- Place
- Dry Creek, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N318CStinson 108-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19930617019229A
- Case key
- 2361
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated the acceleration during takeoff was slow because the runway was wet and soft. The airplane became airborne and cleared the trees at the end of the runway. The airplane began to settle into the trees and the right wing struck a tree and the airplane crashed. The pilot stated he thought the engine was not developing full power. Examination of the engine and subsequent engine run revealed no mechanical failures.
Factual narrative
On June 17, 1993, at 2145 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Stinson 108-2 airplane, N318C, registered to and operated by the Pilot-in-Command, crashed during the initial climb after takeoff from Dry Creek Airstrip, Dry Creek, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, was departing Dry Creek for a local flight. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. There were no injuries to the Pilot-in- Command or the passenger and the airplane was substantially damaged.
According to the Pilot-in-Command, the ground run was sluggish because of the soft runway conditions. He used runway 25 which runs uphill 10 feet over the 3200 foot length. The airplane lifted off at mid field and the Pilot had to lower the nose to gain airspeed. The airplane cleared the 20 to 25 foot high trees at the end of the runway and again the Pilot lowered the nose to gain airspeed. He stated there was no perceptible acceleration. He turned to the right away from rising terrain and continued to mush into the trees. The right wing struck some trees and the airplane turned clockwise and crashed to the ground.
The Pilot stated he did not believe the airplane's engine was producing full power.
Federal Aviation Administration, Aviation Safety Inspector examined the airplane and the engine and found no reason for a loss in power. Furthermore, the ground run of the engine did not show any problems. The FAA Inspector stated the Pilot told him the engine was running smoothly during the takeoff. He stated that during the runup the engine was developing 2200 RPM. The airplane manual states that 2350 is the maximum RPM. The airplane was equipped with a cruise propeller and the pilot stated that the engine would normally develop 2200 RPM at the beginning of the takeoff and increase to 2300 RPM as the airspeed increased.
The Pilot stated he was using a mixture of half aviation fuel and half automotive fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N318C
- Reported as
- Stinson 108-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-3318
- Airframe hours
- 3,942
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-165-B3, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cox, Larry K.
- Registered owner
- Cox, Larry K.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 20, 1992 · 5 hours before
- Airport
- runway 25, 3,200 × 100 ft, gravel
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
- 56
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,304 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,154 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 3 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.