On June 10, 1988, a Stinson 108-1 (registration N97954) operated by Curtis Johnson was involved in an aviation accident near Robbinsville, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing, which resulted in a ground loop and collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A privately owned aircraft veered off the runway during landing in gusty crosswinds, colliding with terrain. The pilot had minimal experience in this specific model.
What happened
The aircraft experienced a ground loop while decelerating on the runway surface and subsequently collided with the surrounding terrain beyond the paved area. Landing was conducted on Runway 29 under wind conditions from 180 degrees at 15 knots, with gusts reaching 25 knots. After touching down, the aircraft turned into the wind and departed the runway to the south after covering approximately one-third of the total runway length.
The investigation
Review of the pilot's flight records indicated that he had logged only 20 hours of time in this specific aircraft type since January 1984. The aircraft was privately owned by the pilot involved in the incident.
Findings
Contributing factors included the crosswind conditions with significant gusts and the pilot's limited experience in the specific aircraft model. The pilot lost directional control during the landing roll, resulting in the departure from the runway environment.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing, which resulted in a ground loop and collision with terrain.