- Date
- January 14, 1995, 12:56 local (18:56 UTC)
- Place
- Roanoke, TX
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9734KStinson 108-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950114000359A
- Case key
- 19339
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
Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
After taking off and climbing about 250-300 feet, the engine lost power and 'the prop quit rotating.' The pilot attempted to make a forced landing in a field adjacent to the runway but in the process, the right wing contacted the ground and the airplane cartwheeled. Partial disassembly of the engine failed to disclose why the engine lost power.
Factual narrative
On January 14, 1995, at 1256 central standard time, N9734K, a Stinson 108-2, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff at Roanoke, Texas. The commercial pilot and airline transport rated pilot-passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The following is based on the pilot/operator report. During the preflight, ten gallons of fuel were added to the left wing tank, and the fuel sumps and gascolator were drained. The right wing tank indicated 1/4 capacity. After taking off on runway 35 and climbing about 250-300 feet, the engine lost power and "the prop quit rotating." The pilot attempted to make a forced landing but in the process, the right wing tip contacted the ground and the airplane cartwheeled. Witnesses corroborated the pilot's account.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who went to the accident site, when the pilot made the right turn towards the open field adjacent to the runway, the wind became a 15 to 20 knot quartering tailwind. At a later date, the inspector partially disassembled the engine but could not find any reason why the engine lost power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9734K
- Reported as
- Stinson 108-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-2734
- Airframe hours
- 2,176
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-165-B3, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Austin, James M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1994 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- 52F
- Destination
- 52F · TX
- Airport
- 52F · Northwest Regional, runway 35, 3,500 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,398 total · 400 in this make and model · 24 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AFW, 6 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.