Luscombe 8A N28403

Summary

On 30 April 2008 at about 23:28 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N28403 was involved in an accident near Remus, Michigan, United States. One person was 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

30 April 2008 at 23:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Remus, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

43.5544, -84.9786

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N28403

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Remus → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI08CA118

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine power during approach due to fuel contamination. Contributing to the accident were the unsuitable terrain and a tree.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during a local flight while on a base leg the engine began running rough. He turned final, applied power, and the engine began running smoothly. The engine then ran rough and smooth again according to the pilot. He said that the airplane contacted the ground short of the runway due to the loss of engine power. He stated that a wing impacted a tree during the landing. The airplane subsequently nosed over. Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors examined the wreckage. A brown varnish like substance was found seeping from the carburetor's fuel line. No further pre-impact anomalies were detected. The pilot reported that he used "automobile" gas and that "some fuel in the gas tank was left over from last year." His safety recommendation was that he "will never use other than fresh fuel [and] will completely drain old gas from tank at end of flying season."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.