Stinson 108 N97383

Summary

On 27 March 2011, a Stinson 108 registered N97383 was involved in an accident near Dickens, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 March 2011

Classification

Accident

Location

Dickens, Texas, United States

Coordinates

33.6736, -100.8675

Aircraft

Stinson 108

Registration

N97383

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dickens → Rockdale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN11FA247

3 people died.

The non-instrument rated pilot's decision to fly in night instrument meteorological conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted terrain in night instrument meteorological conditions. There were no known eyewitnesses who saw the takeoff or accident. The wreckage was located in a pasture area of rolling hills by a local resident, approximately 1.25 miles southeast of the departure airfield. Ground scars and the wreckage path led to the main wreckage, which was oriented on a heading of 100 degrees. The pilot was not instrument rated and it was not determined whether he obtained a weather briefing. Although it is uncertain whether he obtained a weather briefing, the conditions on the night of the accident were obviously instrument conditions with overcast skies at 500 feet. The non-instrument rated pilot exhibited poor decision-making when he elected to fly in those conditions. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.