Stinson 108 N97383 Crash Near Dickens, Texas

Accident Overview and Flight Details On March 27, 2011, a Stinson 108, registration N97383, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Dickens, Texas. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, and the aircraft was largely consumed by a post-impact fire. The flight was a personal operation under 14 CFR Part 91, conducted without a filed flight plan in dark night instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft departed from a private airfield, with an unknown refueling stop en route to Rockdale, Texas. The pilot's wife stated the planned departure time was 0530, but the actual time was not determined. The wreckage was discovered around 1300 in a pasture by a local resident, with no known witnesses to the accident. ## Personnel and Aircraft Information The pilot, age 40, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land issued on May 27, 2008, and did not hold an instrument endorsement. His third-class medical certificate, issued July 19, 2007, had no limitations. Logbook records showed over 600 total flight hours, including over 200 hours in the make and model, with no actual instrument time and 3.8 hours of simulated instrument time. The aircraft was a four-seat, high-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number 108-383, manufactured in 1946. It was powered by a Franklin 6A4-15-B3 engine, serial number 11542, rated at 150 horsepower, driving a Sensenich fixed-pitch, two-bladed metal propeller. Maintenance records indicated an annual inspection on March 27, 2010, at 2,350 tachometer hours and 40 hours since major engine overhaul. The tachometer was damaged, but a logbook entry from 10 days before the accident recorded 2,588.6 hours. ## Meteorological and Wreckage Information Weather observations from nearby airports reported conditions conducive to icing at cruise power. At 0553, Lubbock International Airport reported winds from 060 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 5 miles in mist, overcast skies at 500 feet, temperature 39°F, dew point 36°F, and barometric pressure 29.83 inches of mercury. Similar conditions were reported at Childress Municipal Airport and Winston Field Airport. Civil twilight began at 0713, with sunrise at 0738. The wreckage was found in rolling hills about 1.25 miles southeast of the departure airfield. Ground scars indicated an impact heading of 300 degrees, with the engine separated from the fuselage and the main wreckage found upright facing about 100 degrees. A post-impact fire spread in a 90-degree fan pattern over about 65 feet. Flight control continuity was established, and the elevator trim was neutral. The engine showed thermal damage, with a slightly bent crankshaft and minor propeller blade polishing. ## Medical and Toxicology Findings An autopsy performed on March 28, 2011, determined the pilot's cause of death as blunt force injuries. Forensic toxicology by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute detected ethanol in muscle tissue, with no ethanol in the liver, indicating a source other than ingestion. Chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine with drowsiness as a potential side effect, was detected in the liver and kidney.