Stinson 108-3 N6216M

Summary

On 30 June 2003 at about 18:45 local time, a Stinson 108-3 registered N6216M was involved in an accident near St. Johns, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 June 2003 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Johns, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

St. Johns Industrial Airport (SJN)

Coordinates

34.8167, -109.4000

Aircraft

Stinson 108-3

Registration

N6216M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Las Vegas → Whiteriver

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03CA219

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting and shifting wind conditions, which resulted in a failure to maintain directional control and a ground loop. The gusting and shifting wind conditions were factors in the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane ground looped during the landing roll out on runway 14. The pilot checked the automated surface observation system (ASOS) and noted it was an hour old. He then overflew the airport and checked the windsock. The windsock was indicating wind conditions 180 degrees different than the ASOS. The pilot then called on the Unicom and verified that the winds were blowing opposite the direction as indicated on the ASOS. The Unicom operator, who is also the airport manager, confirmed the pilot's observation, and the pilot landed the airplane. During the landing roll out, the wind shifted from a right quartering headwind to a right quartering tailwind that blew the airplane to the right. It ground looped, impacted a ditch, and bent the left wing approximately 3 feet inboard of the wing tip. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident. The METAR reports for the St. Johns airport were reviewed. At 1154, the winds were from 260 degrees at 14 knots. For the 1254 observation, the winds were from 300 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 15; the winds during the hour were noted to be variable from 230 to 030 degrees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.