Stinson 108 1 N9034K accident near Bruno, Minnesota

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power due to an anomaly with the carburetor system that could not be determined during postaccident examination.

NTSB analysis

According to the private pilot, after about 30 minutes of uneventful cross-country flight in the float-equipped airplane and about 2,000 ft above ground level, the engine sputtered for about 10 seconds and then lost all power. The pilot initiated emergency procedures for a restart and located an off-airport landing site while in an emergency descent. The airplane touched down on its floats in a grassy field. Examination of the airplane revealed structural damage to the fuselage adjacent to the float attachment points.

No obvious anomalies were found with the engine or fuel system on scene. After the airplane wreckage was recovered, maintenance personnel were able to start and run the engine with an external fuel supply. The engine started and ran for about 30 seconds and then stopped. After the run attempt, the fuel gascolator and carburetor intake screen were removed and cleaned. No significant debris was found. After examining the remainder of the engine, the engine was started again, ran for about 1 minute, and stopped again. A replacement carburetor was then installed. The engine was started and ran normally with the replacement carburetor.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN14LA417 for the full record.