# NTSB CEN25FA194: Universal Stinson 108, N40158, Farmington, NC, June 3, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: June 3, 2025, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC) - Place: Farmington, NC - Coordinates: 35.988797, -80.510404 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9888&lon=-80.5104&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal, 1 serious - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO, FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 200255 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25FA194 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200255/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA194 ## Preliminary report On June 3, 2025, about 1145 eastern daylight time, a Universal Stinson 108 airplane, N40518 was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Farmington, North Carolina. The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and one passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane departed runway 2 at the Sugar Valley Airport (5NC2), Mocksville, North Carolina, and flew around the traffic pattern. Upon turning base leg for runway 2, the UNICOM operator, who was looking out the airport office window facing southeast, advised the pilot that there was a turtle on the runway. According to the UNICOM operator, the pilot landed about 1,400 ft down the 2,424 ft runway and then lifted the right main wheel to avoid the turtle. The UNICOM operator stated that she heard the pilot advance the throttle after he raised the right wheel. The airplane left her point of view, and she was unable to see the airplane after that. A man cutting the grass at the end of runway 2 reported that he saw the turtle on the runway and the pilot raised the right wheel to avoid the turtle. After that, the wings began to rock back and forth. Then the airplane took off again, but he lost site of the airplane when it passed behind a hangar. The airplane disappeared just over the trees on the northeast side of the runway and then he heard a loud crash and saw smoke. The airplane impacted a heavily forested area about 255 ft northeast of the departure end of runway 2. A post impact fire ensued. The airplane came to rest on a heading of about 100°. The airplane was wedged between several trees and remained in one piece except for a few pieces of fabric that were found in an adjacent stream next to the accident site. The fabric on the fuselage, cowling, and wings was completely burned off and the airplane frame was visible. The fabric on the vertical stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer was intact; however, parts of the vertical stabilizer fabric were melted. The metal rudder and elevator were not fire damaged. The airplane came to rest on its left side with the left wing folded underneath the fuselage and the right wing bent aft. Control cable continuity was confirmed to the rudder, elevator, and right aileron. Due to impact damage, cable continuity could not be confirmed to the left aileron or flaps. The airplane wreckage and engine were retained for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Universal Stinson 108, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=9230412), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N40158](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40158-2025-09-04), registration cancelled 2025-09-04, S/N 108-88, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: UNIVERSAL STINSON 108 - Registry model: [Universal Stinson 108](https://openairdocs.org/model/universal-stinson-108) (registry code 9230412) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Franklin 6A4150 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6a4150-series) (registry code 27024, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 108-88 - Year built: 1946 - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2024 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 5NC2, Sugar Valley Airport, runway 02, 2,424 × 36 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,100 ft overcast - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: KINT, 15 nm away - METAR: KINT 031554Z 20005KT 10SM OVC041 25/12 A3023 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250603006879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250603006879A), Jun 3, 2025: Universal Stinson 108, Mocksville, NC, Destroyed, 2 fatal. On June 03, 2025, a Universal Stinson 180 touched down midfield on runway 02L at the Sugar Valley Airport (5NC2) and lifted the left wheel to avoid a turtle.… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.