Luscombe 8A N25100

Summary

On 24 October 2015 at about 22:10 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N25100 was involved in an accident near Prescott, Arizona, 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

24 October 2015 at 22:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Prescott, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Ernest A Love Field Airport (KPRC)

Coordinates

34.6547, -112.4192

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N25100

Category

Airplane

Year built

1939

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gallup → Prescott

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR16LA017

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, and his inability to recover due to a malfunction of the tailwheel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that, upon touching down in a three-point attitude, the airplane veered left. The pilot attempted to correct with rudder, but the airplane continued left and ground looped. Examination revealed that the tailwheel had rotated 180°, leaving its control chains crossed over one another. Under this condition, the tailwheel direction of movement would be opposite that commanded by the pilot. Further examination revealed that the tailwheel steering arms were bent upward, allowing the wheel to rotate past its travel stops and into the reversed condition. It is likely that, as the pilot initially lost control and the airplane began to ground loop, the wheel passed beyond its travel limits, causing the controls to become reversed, which made recovery unlikely.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.