Plane Crash List

Luscombe 8E N45WB

11 August 1991 · Valparaiso, Indiana, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 11 August 1991 at about 18:40 local time, a Luscombe 8E registered N45WB, operated by William F. Bokodi, was involved in an accident near Valparaiso, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 18:40
Classification
Accident
Location
Valparaiso, Indiana, United States
Nearest airport
Porter County (VPZ)
Coordinates
41.4706, -87.0500
Aircraft
Luscombe 8E
Registration
N45WB
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
William F. Bokodi
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Valparaiso → Griffith
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI91LA256

People

1 person was seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 1 0 0

Probable cause

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING WAS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE (DESIGN CHANGE) PERFORMED BY AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON (PILOT IN COMMAND).

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING INITIAL CLIMB THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. WHILE IN A TURN TO AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND ENTERED A SPIN IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION FOUND A FOREIGN SUBSTANCE BLOCKING THE MAIN METERING ORIFICE IN THE CARBURETOR WHICH HAD MIGRATED FROM A MISSING GASKET ON THE DRAIN PLUG. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD USED A SUBSTITUTE MATERIAL FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE MISSING GASKET.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Luscombe 8 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
19 Apr 1991 Luscombe 8A
N45656
Clark Fork, Idaho, United States Paul F. Clock No injuries -
16 Jun 1991 Luscombe 8E
N2587K
Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States
no coordinates
Dale E. Ryder Minor injuries -
11 Dec 1991 Luscombe 8-F
N1871B
Chapin, Iowa, United States
no coordinates
Paul A. Sensor No injuries -
19 Jan 1991 Luscombe 8A
N71745
Bakersfield, California, United States
no coordinates
TOM Kanonchoff No injuries -
25 Jul 1991 Luscombe 8A
N28580
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, United States Daniel J. Hanson No injuries -
20 May 1991 Luscombe 8E
N333LR
Clinton, Michigan, United States Louise M. Feichtinger Fatal 1

All 1,528 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
12 May 1991 Cessna 177
N3345T
Decatur, Indiana, United States Clark Smith/ Ralph Biggs No injuries -
9 Oct 1991 Beechcraft 95
N1309Z
Elkhart, Indiana, United States
no coordinates
William E. Woodill No injuries -
15 Oct 1991 Mooney M20K
N3947H
Knox, Indiana, United States Northern Harvest Furniture, Inc No injuries -
18 Oct 1991 Aerostar RX-8
N357OK
Warsaw, Indiana, United States Henry J. & Marcille Cripe Serious injuries -
28 May 1991 Gulfstream American AA1A
N5675L
Evansville, Indiana, United States Fireside Gallery, Inc. Serious injuries -
23 Oct 1991 McDonnell Douglas MD369D
N88SE
Beech Grove, Indiana, United States Miami Valley Services No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States