20031018027469A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Luscom 8E · Spanaway, WA · October 18, 2003

Date: October 18, 2003 · 15:05 local
Place: Spanaway, WA
Airport: Spanaway Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1806K
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA04LA008
Reported as: Luscom 8E
Reported engine: Continental C85*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,600 total250 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

N1806KRegistered now · Luscombe 8ES/N 4533 Airframe modelLuscombe 8E Engine modelContinental C85 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The aircraft clipped a cyclone fence on approach then flipped over. Witness reports indicate the aircraft may have been too low during approach. Witness reports indicate light gusting winds. The pilot was reported to have a minor injury and in satisfactory condition at tacoma general hospital. One passenger was on board, and reported to have no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPED A CYCLONE FENCE ON APPROACH THEN FLIPPED OVER. WITNESS REPORTS INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE BEEN TOO LOW DURING APPROACH. WITNESS REPORTS INDICATE LIGHT GUSTING WINDS. THE PILOT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE A MINOR INJURY AND IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION AT TACOMA GENERAL HOSPITAL. ONE PASSENGER WAS ON BOARD, AND REPORTED TO HAVE NO INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA04LA008Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSpanaway, WAThe pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude resulting in an undershoot of the runway and collision with a fence. A fence was a factor in the accident.Oct 18, 2003 · Substantial damage