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STINSON SM-6000 B NC10814
COMPARE HOW EXPENSIVE THE REPAIR
This airplane is a Stinson SM-6000B (S/N 5035; ATC #420)
manufactured in May 1931 by Stinson Aircraft Corporation,
Wayne, MI. It came from the factory with three Lycoming
R-680 engines (S/N L 501, R 487, C 510) of 315 HP each. It
was an eleven-place airplane.
It was purchased by Century Air Lines, Inc., Chicago,
IL on May 18, 1931. We find NC10814 in Tucson June 3, 1931
piloted by R.W.
Cantwell. He was carrying five passengers
westbound from El Paso, TX to Los
Angeles. On July 24, 1931
it was turned over to Century Pacific Lines, Ltd., Grand
Central Air Terminal, Glendale, CA. It suffered an
accident at San Diego, CA on August 29, 1931.
Now, this will make contemporary aircraft owners go tsk,
tsk, but here is the outcome of that accident. It
required “extensive repairs” using factory parts
including a right wing, cowling on right engine, plus parts
from the Stinson Division of the Cord Corporation in the
amount of $945.25. With a 30% discount the bill came
to $661.58. The prices on September 10, 1931 included:
Fin, complete $73.00; Rudder $98.25; Stabilizer $233.00;
Elevator $210.00; four lift struts at $79.50 and $85.00
each.
With those expenses, it’s little wonder the airplane
was sold to American Airways, Inc., Chicago, IL on May 31,
1932. It was converted as of May 15, 1933 to an 8-
or 9-place passenger/mail transport. Two years later
it was sold to Delta Air Corporation, Monroe, LA. It
sold four more times up to 1940.
It suffered another accident on February 3, 1940 requiring “extensive
repairs” to airframe and engines. Both wings
were re-covered and the fuselage repaired. The color scheme
was changed from yellow and black to aluminum and black.
It moved on April 30th to Caribbean-Atlantic Airlines, Inc.,
San Juan, P.R.
As of April 1, 1942 it received another overhaul; wings
and fuselage re-covered; reupholstered interior. In
August 1945 it was sold to Gene H. Bell, Intercontinental
Sales Co., San Juan, P.R. A letter to Bell requested
information on NC10814, He answered in 1948, , “Plane
not flown after purchase. Dismantled for the engines
and will never be flown again.”
UPLOADED: 04/01/06 REVISED:
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