- Date
- August 5, 1998, 10:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Delta Junction, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8835KStinson 108-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980805019779A
- Case key
- 43643
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 selection of an unsuitable takeoff area. Factors associated with the accident were willow trees, and rising terrain.
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 certificated airline transport pilot was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 750 feet long dry creek bed. He stated that during the takeoff roll, and about 700 feet down the creek bed, he applied 25 degrees of flaps. The airplane became airborne, but failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain. The airplane's right wing collided with a stand of trees, pivoting the airplane to the right, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane's wings, and lower left longeron sustained substantial damage.
Factual narrative
On August 5, 1998, about 1030 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Stinson 108-1 airplane, N8835K, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from an off airport site located about 70 miles southwest of Delta Junction, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated airline transport pilot, and the one passenger aboard were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was returning to Delta Junction, where it had departed on August 3.
In his written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot noted that he was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 750 feet long dry creek bed. He stated that during the takeoff roll, and about 700 feet down the creek bed, he applied 25 degrees of flaps. He said that the airplane became airborne, but failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain. The airplane's right wing collided with a stand of trees, pivoting the airplane to the right, and the left wing struck the ground.
The airplane's wings, and lower left longeron sustained substantial damage.
The pilot reported that the wind conditions at the time of the accident were light and variable, favoring a southwesterly departure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8835K
- Reported as
- Stinson 108-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-1835
- Airframe hours
- 2,140
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-150-B3, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth Albert Couch
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 19, 1997 · 50 hours before
- Destination
- D66 · AK
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
- 52
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 85 in this make and model · 15,400 as pilot in command · 260 in the last 90 days · 99 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 45 °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.