Accident Overview
On June 3, 2025, about 1145 eastern daylight time, a Universal Stinson 108 airplane, registration N40518, was destroyed in an accident near Farmington, North Carolina. The pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries, while another passenger suffered serious injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Sequence of Events
The airplane departed runway 2 at Sugar Valley Airport (5NC2) in Mocksville, North Carolina, and flew the traffic pattern. While turning base leg for runway 2, a UNICOM operator, who was observing from the airport office window facing southeast, advised the pilot of a turtle on the runway. According to the operator, the pilot landed about 1,400 feet down the 2,424-foot runway and then lifted the right main wheel to avoid the turtle. The operator reported hearing the pilot advance the throttle after raising the wheel. The airplane then left the operator's view.
A man mowing grass at the end of runway 2 also saw the turtle and observed the pilot raise the right wheel to avoid it. He noted that the wings began to rock back and forth, after which the airplane took off again. The man lost sight of it as it passed behind a hangar, then heard a loud crash and saw smoke as the airplane disappeared over trees on the northeast side of the runway.
The airplane impacted a heavily forested area approximately 255 feet northeast of the departure end of runway 2. A post-impact fire ensued. The wreckage came to rest on a heading of about 100°.
Wreckage Examination
The airplane was wedged between several trees and remained largely intact, with only a few pieces of fabric found in an adjacent stream. The fabric on the fuselage, cowling, and wings was completely burned off, exposing the airframe. The fabric on the vertical and horizontal stabilizers was intact, though parts of the vertical stabilizer fabric were melted. The metal rudder and elevator were not fire-damaged.
The airplane came to rest on its left side, with the left wing folded underneath the fuselage and the right wing bent aft. Control cable continuity was confirmed to the rudder, elevator, and right aileron. Due to impact damage, continuity could not be confirmed to the left aileron or flaps. The wreckage and engine were retained for further examination.