Stinson 108 N97628

Summary

On 1 September 1989 at about 17:38 local time, a Stinson 108 registered N97628, operated by Cassen, Gary A., was involved in an accident near Cool, California, 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

1 September 1989 at 17:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Cool, California, United States

Nearest airport

Auburn (001)

Coordinates

38.8793, -120.9810

Aircraft

Stinson 108

Registration

N97628

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Cassen, Gary A.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Auburn → Georgetown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89LA298

Nobody was injured.

FAILURE OF THE #2 PISTON. FAILURE OF THE MECHANIC TO PROPERLY OVERHAUL THE ENGINE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE CLIMBING TO CRUISE ALTITUDE, THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A LOSS OF POWER. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON AN ACCESS ROAD. THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL, BUT DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, THE LEFT WHEEL PANT STRUCK A ROAD MARKER. THE AIRPLANE THEN YAWED TO THE LEFT, EXITED THE ROADWAY, AND WENT THRU A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND ONTO A DIRT FIELD. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE #2 PISTON WAS DESTROYED. THE PISTON WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AS BEING THE CORRECT ONE FOR THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAD ACCRUED 145 HOURS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL. THE OVERHAUL WAS PERFORMED BY AN A&P MECHANIC.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.