No fatalities

2 Jul 2020: Stinson 108 3 — Nikolai, AK

Nikolai, AK, United States

On 2 Jul 2020, a Stinson 108 3 was involved in an aviation accident near Nikolai, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper decision to depart from an unsuitable off-airport surface which resulted in a departure area excursion and impact with trees. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel-equipped airplane failed to accelerate past 40 knots during an off-airport departure, exited the area, and struck brush and trees, resulting in substantial wing damage.

Accident Details

A pilot operating a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported an accident during a departure from a remote off-airport landing site. According to the pilot's statement, the site had slopes on both ends. After assessing the physical conditions of the site and the current weather, the pilot selected a takeoff direction and established a takeoff abort point.

During the departure roll, the airplane did not accelerate beyond 40 knots. It subsequently exited the designated departure area and collided with brush and trees. The accident caused substantial damage to both wings of the aircraft.

The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have interfered with normal operations. In the recommendation section of the NTSB reporting form, the pilot suggested several measures that might have prevented the accident, including a more accurate assessment of the departure site, the establishment of a more prominent takeoff abort speed or point, or greater proficiency in executing aborted takeoffs.

Contributing factors

PilotAirspeed — Not attained/maintained