Luscombe 8A N1380K

Summary

On 23 June 2012 at about 16:30 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N1380K, operated by Koebel Allan Trustee, was involved in an accident near Mexico, Missouri, 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

23 June 2012 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Mexico, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Rileys Roost (Pvt)

Coordinates

39.2078, -91.9353

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N1380K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Koebel Allan Trustee

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mexico → Mexico

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA391

Nobody was injured.

The airplane's encounter with a downdraft during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger had just completed a local flight from a private airfield. The pilot reported that he flared for the landing with the airplane’s airspeed between 60 and 65 mph at 3 to 4 feet above the ground, and the left wing dropped abruptly. The airplane’s left landing gear hit the ground hard and the airplane bounced; the pilot was then able to recover for a normal 3-point landing. An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated that it felt as though the airplane was pushed to the ground, which he believed was due to a strong downdraft or gust of wind. Wind in the area about 40 minutes before the accident was reported to be from 170 degrees at 7 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.