20090520053939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Luscombe 8E · Ozona, TX · May 20, 2009

Date: May 20, 2009 · 20:00 local
Place: Ozona, TX
Airport: Ozona Municipal
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: N/A
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2450K
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09CA310
Reported as: Luscombe 8E
Reported engine: Continental C85 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 290 total9 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N2450KRegistered now · Luscombe 8ES/N 5177 · Built 1947 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.

During initial take-off in a tail wheel airplane, the pilot decided to do an immediate wheel landing, but he bounced. He then reduced power and settled back to runway 16 with a low right wing. The right tire hit first and started a swerve to the left that developed into a ground loop and the aircraft flipped inverted when a wingtip dug into the ground.

As the FAA filed it

DURING INITIAL TAKE-OFF IN A TAIL WHEEL AIRPLANE, THE PILOT DECIDED TO DO AN IMMEDIATE WHEEL LANDING, BUT HE BOUNCED. HE THEN REDUCED POWER AND SETTLED BACK TO RUNWAY 16 WITH A LOW RIGHT WING. THE RIGHT TIRE HIT FIRST AND STARTED A SWERVE TO THE LEFT THAT DEVELOPED INTO A GROUND LOOP AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED INVERTED WHEN A WINGTIP DUG INTO THE GROUND.

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 CEN09CA310Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportOzona, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.May 21, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2450K · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19880321055349ILevel Off Touchdown · Colorado Spring, COChose to land on taxiway parallel to 35 instead of 30 to avoid strong crosswind. Took full responsibility.Mar 21, 1988