Luscombe 8A N2156K

Summary

On 1 September 2010 at about 17:30 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N2156K, operated by James C. Walker, was involved in an accident near Churchville, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 September 2010 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Churchville, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Harford County Airport (OW3)

Coordinates

39.5667, -76.2022

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N2156K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James C. Walker

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Churchville → Churchville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10CA467

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to ensure that the fuel valve was in the "ON" position during his preflight inspection, resulting in the loss of engine power during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that the takeoff was normal until the airplane was about 50 feet above the ground, at which time he closed the carburetor heat and the engine lost power. The airplane’s landing gear then contacted top of a security fence beyond the end of the runway and the airplane bounced into a plowed field in a nose-down attitude. The pilot further stated that before he exited the airplane, he checked the fuel valve and found that it was not locked in the full forward position; rather, it was midway between the "ON" and "OFF" positions. The pilot said that in retrospect, he was not positive that he had placed the fuel valve in the "ON" position during his preflight inspection, and that this was the reason for the engine losing power on takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.