20091011050329A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Luscombe 8E · Weeping Water, NE · October 11, 2009

Date: October 11, 2009 · 13:45 local
Place: Weeping Water, NE
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1536B
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN10LA012
Reported as: Luscombe 8E
Reported engine: Continental CONTINENTAL C-85
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,139 total3 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days

N1536BRegistration cancelled May 20, 2015 · Luscombe 8ES/N 6163 · Built 1948 Airframe modelLuscombe 8E Engine modelContinental A&C65 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.

The pilot of N1536B accomplished a preflight and fueled his recently purchased Luscombe 8E for a 35 minute flight in daylight visual meteorological conditions. After departing the airport to the south, it appears that the engine was not producing full power. The pilot had difficulty gaining altitude as he made two left turns in an attempt to get back to the airport. The aircraft impacted the ground in standing corn approximatly 1/4 mile east of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed. During the investigation, the tachometer indicated 1700 RPM and the oil pressure gauge was showing pressure. The prop had damage indicating very low RPM at time of impact. It was found during the engine teardown that the #2 cylinder exhaust valve was stuck in the open position. This would have caused the engine to run rough and at reduced power.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT OF N1536B ACCOMPLISHED A PREFLIGHT AND FUELED HIS RECENTLY PURCHASED LUSCOMBE 8E FOR A 35 MINUTE FLIGHT IN DAYLIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. AFTER DEPARTING THE AIRPORT TO THE SOUTH, IT APPEARS THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING FULL POWER. THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY GAINING ALTITUDE AS HE MADE TWO LEFT TURNS IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN STANDING CORN APPROXIMATLY 1/4 MILE EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE TACHOMETER INDICATED 1700 RPM AND THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS SHOWING PRESSURE. THE PROP HAD DAMAGE INDICATING VERY LOW RPM AT TIME OF IMPACT.IT WAS FOUND DURING THE ENGINE TEARDOWN THAT THE #2 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO RUN ROUGH AND AT REDUCED POWER.

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 CEN10LA012Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWeeping Water, NEThe pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in a stall. Contributing to the accident was the stuck exhaust valve resulting in the partial loss of engine power.Oct 11, 2009 · Substantial damage