Luscombe 8A N71687

Summary

On 26 June 2011 at about 18:50 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N71687 was involved in an accident near Farmdale, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 June 2011 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Farmdale, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Private Airstrip (PVT)

Coordinates

41.4392, -80.6919

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N71687

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Farmdale → Farmdale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11FA420

1 person died.

The pilot's decision to initiate an aerobatic maneuver at an altitude that did not allow for full recovery of the airplane before ground impact.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident airplane was observed entering a near-vertical climb shortly after taking off from the private airstrip. The airplane continued in the near-vertical climb to about 300 feet above the ground before it turned to the left and entered a nose-down descent toward the runway. One witness described the aerobatic maneuver as a wingover or a hammerhead. Another witness stated that the airplane appeared to stall at the apex of the vertical climb, before it entered the left turn and nose-down descent. The same witness reported hearing the engine operate at a high speed during the descent. Several witnesses noted that the airplane impacted the grass runway as it was recovering from the dive. Given the witness statements, and that the pilot reported completing two flights earlier in the day during which he had performed aerobatic maneuvers near the private airstrip, the airplane likely stalled while the pilot was performing the maneuver. The pilot reported having no recollection of the accident flight besides performing an uneventful takeoff. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.