Luscombe 8A N1983B

Summary

On 27 August 2004 at about 20:45 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N1983B, operated by Ronald G. Hanks, was involved in an accident near Nampa, Idaho, 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

27 August 2004 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Nampa, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

43.5814, -116.5250

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N1983B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ronald G. Hanks

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nampa → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA04CA174

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors include the pilot's very low total time in this make and model aircraft (one hour), and the soft terrain the aircraft encountered along the side of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor at the controls of the aircraft had come to the Nampa Airport with another individual who was in the process of buying the subject aircraft. The purpose of the flight was for the instructor to familiarize himself with the aircraft, so that that he could give instruction to the new owner as they both flew it back to Texas. After flying the aircraft around the local area for a short period, the instructor pilot executed one touch-and-go landing, and then went around the traffic pattern for another. During the landing roll of the second landing, the aircraft started to veer from side to side, and then entered into the pilot called an "aggravated pilot induced oscillation." He therefore applied full aft stick in order to get more tail wheel authority. According to this pilot, as he pulled the stick aft, he "inadvertently added left aileron," which raised the right wing. At that point in the landing sequence, the aircraft began to veer off the right side of the runway, and the pilot applied full left rudder, significant left brake, and full power. These inputs were not sufficient to straighten the track of the aircraft, which departed the right side of the runway. Soon after departing the runway, the aircraft encountered soft terrain, and the left main gear collapsed. In a telephone conversation with the NTSB, the pilot who had been at the controls stated that he had been "slow to recognize" the situation that lead to the loss of control. During the investigation it was determined that this pilot's total previous experience in a Luscombe was one hour.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.