NTSB CEN20CA204 — 2020-06-01 · Denver, Colorado, United States

Current FAA registration · N6518M

Make / Model: STINSON 108-3
Year of manufacture: 1949 · 71 years old at event
Engine: FRANKLIN 6A4165 SERIES (165 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A893ED

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N6518M Stinson 108 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing during variable wind conditions.

Factual narrative

The pilot landed at the airport in a tail-wheel equipped airplane, when he lost directional control and the airplane ground looped. During the ground loop the wing contacted the ground and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The rudder and vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. Post-accident examination of the airplane did not reveal any flight control anomalies. Wind recorded at the time of the accident reported variable wind at speeds between 4 and 8 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_CEN20CA204.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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