# Accident 19970615014069A: Luscom 8F, New Town, PA, June 15, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 1997, 13:30 local time
- Place: New Town, PA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.8890° N, 78.3292° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8890&lon=-78.3292&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1894B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1894B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Luscombe 8F (registry code 8190114, https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C90 series (registry code 17009, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LUSCOM 8F
- Reported engine: CONT C9012F
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 910 total, 300 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC97LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA114) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970615014069A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, STRUCK A DITCH, FLIPPED OVER. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SELECTED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE WAS INDICATING 1/2 FULL. THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE WAS INDICATING FULL.  WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITION TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK.  THE ENGINE RESUMED MAKING POWER FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN LOST POWER AGAIN.  THE PILOT THEN SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK TO THE LEFT TANK.  THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE POWER CONTINUED TO FLUCTUATE AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD.  THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.  EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.  SIGNIFICANT BROWN STAINING OF VEGETATION UNDERNEATH THE LEFT WING WAS NOTED.  THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO STAINING OF VEGETATION LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE RIGHT WING.  THE ENGINE PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY DURING A POST ACCIDENT TEST RUN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC97LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA114), Jun 15, 1997: Luscombe 8F (N1894B), New Town, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in an intermittent fuel supply, and a loss of engine power.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.