Stinson 108-3 N6513M

Summary

On 20 April 2007 at about 18:20 local time, a Stinson 108-3 registered N6513M was involved in an accident near Pompton Plains, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 April 2007 at 18:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Pompton Plains, New Jersey, United States

Coordinates

40.9475, -74.3144

Aircraft

Stinson 108-3

Registration

N6513M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lincoln Park → Keene

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC07CA101

2 people had minor injuries.

A loss of engine power during the initial climb for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot serviced the 1949 Stinson 108-3 with 24 gallons of automotive fuel on the morning of the accident flight. He checked the fuel for the presence of water or debris, performed "a simple alcohol test," and noted no problems. The engine started "perfectly," and he did not note any anomalies during the runup check. At the beginning of the takeoff roll, the engine power was "good," but once airborne, the engine began running "unusually." The pilot looked down at the tachometer and noticed that the rpm had decreased by 300. He checked that the throttle and mixture controls were both in the forward position. As the engine power continued to decrease, the pilot knew he could not turn the airplane back to the runway and would not clear the tops of the trees ahead, so he flew toward a gap in the trees. He attempted to keep the airplane flying as long as he could, but ultimately it entered a "controlled stall," and descended into a power line. The airplane then impacted the ground, erupted in flames, and was consumed by a postimpact fire. Examination of the remaining portions of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical deficiencies. A sample of fuel from the container used to service the airplane was examined, and found absent of debris or water.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.