- Date
- March 6, 1989, 17:30 local (Mar 7, 1989, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Custer, SD
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N150CStinson 108-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890306003129A
- Case key
- 17678
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 improper maintenance by the pilot in command/owner in that the magneto drive gear retaining nuts were not safetied which resulted in them backing off, disconnecting the magnetoes and one of the gears falling into the engine.
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 private plt was performing a flight following his installation of two magnetos. A witness and the plt reported that on climb out the engine quit. The plt said he heard something break in the engine. The plt attempted to land on a gravel driveway south of the runway. At impact, the main landing gear collapsed. The plane came to rest after sliding 150 ft. a post accident inspection revealed that both magnetos had been installed without cotter pins on the drive gear retaining nuts. This resulted in the nuts backing off, disconnecting the magnetos, and one of the gears falling into the engine, resulting in the reported stoppage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N150C
- Reported as
- Stinson 108-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-3150
- Airframe hours
- 1,356
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-165-B3, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Winter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 27, 1989 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- SD01 · Custer, SD
- Destination
- SD01
- Airport
- SD01 · Custer County
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 600 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.