What happened
On January 11, 2026, a Stinson 108-3, registration N6725M, was involved in an accident near Gypsum, Colorado. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use. The pilot intended to depart from an unnamed private airstrip, perform a teardrop pattern, and return to the same strip for a full-stop landing before proceeding to McElroy Airfield (20V).
During the return to the airstrip, the pilot utilized carburetor heat and a leaned mixture for high-altitude operation. While flying through an area of sinking air, the pilot noted normal throttle responses. However, during short final approach, approximately 25 feet above the ground, the aircraft encountered additional sinking air. The pilot responded by rapidly increasing the throttle from near idle to an intermediate position, at which point the engine sputtered.
Due to the low altitude, the aircraft maintained a higher-than-normal rate of descent. The pilot attempted to flare the aircraft near the runway threshold, but the plane pancaked onto the runway and slid to a stop in a nose-down attitude. Evidence from law enforcement photos indicated the aircraft had contacted treetops, leaving broken branches 30 yards from the final resting position.
The pilot sustained 1 minor injury and was not killed.