Luscombe 8A N719JX

Summary

On 25 June 1995 at about 04:10 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N719JX was involved in an accident near Hubbard, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 June 1995 at 04:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Hubbard, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.1793, -122.7907

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N719JX

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

SEA95FA128

2 people died.

THE FAILURE OF THE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WHO REBUILT THE AIRCRAFT TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE WING LOWER LIFT STRUT ATTACHMENT BOLTS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF ANOTHER MAINTENANCE PERSON TO ADEQUATELY INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT FOR PROPERLY SECURED BOLTS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE SEPARATE AS THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LOWER LIFT STRUT ATTACHMENT BOLT HAD SLIPPED OUT OF THE ATTACHMENT LUG, DEFORMED, AND SEPARATED IN POSITIVE BENDING OVERLOAD. THE ATTACHMENT NUT HAD EITHER BACKED OFF THE BOLT OR HAD NEVER BEEN INSTALLED. IT WAS NOT FOUND DURING AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH OF THE WRECKAGE AND THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE BOLT AND NUT FROM THE OPPOSITE WING WERE EXAMINED AND REVEALED THAT THE SELF-LOCKING NUT WAS NOT PROPERLY ENGAGED IN THE BOLT. ENTRIES IN THE MAINTENANCE LOGS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN REBUILT, AND THE LIFT STRUTS RE-ATTACHED, BY A MECHANIC WHO HAD INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION. THE REBUILD OCCURRED 2 YEARS AND 70 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE HAD SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION APPROXIMATELY 6 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT BY ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO HAD INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION, AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.