Luscombe 8-A N1231K

Summary

On 7 January 1999 at about 21:45 local time, a Luscombe 8-A registered N1231K was involved in an accident near Palmetto, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 January 1999 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Palmetto, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Manatee (48X)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Luscombe 8-A

Registration

N1231K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL99LA039

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the wheel fairing attach bolts that resulted in the loss of control during the landing roll when the fairing became lodged under the left wheel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, during the first few landings he had felt a vibration. On the accident landing, the left wheel faring failed and went under the wheel. The airplane skidded approximately 30 feet and nosed-over damaging the prop, windshield, right wing, and the vertical stabilizer. Examination of the airplane revealed that there were no mechanical failures. The left wheel faring attach screws on the inside had sheared off, and the attach bolt on the outside had pulled through the fiberglass on the faring. The same damage was noted on the right faring except that it remained partially attached. Additionally, there were tire marks in the grass and sand made by the left and right main tires, which indicated that the brakes were applied at a slow speed. The marks terminated at the point were the airplane nosed-over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.