# Accident 20161231021182A: Luscombe 8A, Mckinney, TX, December 31, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 31, 2016, 17:30 local time
- Place: Mckinney, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.2067° N, 96.7328° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2067&lon=-96.7328&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2889K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2889K) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Luscombe 8A (registry code 8190104, https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LUSCOMBE 8A
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN17FA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA063) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161231021182A

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 31, 2016, ABOUT 1725 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A SINGLE-ENGINE PIPER PA-28R-200

AIRPLANE, N4407T, AND A SINGLE ENGINE LUSCOMBE 8A AIRPLANE, N2889K, WERE DESTROYED WHEN

THEY COLLIDED IN MID-AIR OVER MCKINNEY, TEXAS, ABOUT ONE-HALF MILE EAST OF THE AERO COUNTRY

AIRPORT (T31), MCKINNEY, TEXAS. THE PRIVATE RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, ONBOARD N4407T

WAS FATALLY INJURED, AND THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT AND A PASSENGER ONBOARD N2889K WERE

FATALLY INJURED. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE OWNED AND OPERATED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS. VISUAL

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. BOTH FLIGHTS WERE OPERATED

UNDER THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS PERSONAL FLIGHTS, AND NO FLIGHT PLANS HAD

BEEN FILED. N2889K HAD DEPARTED T31 JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND N4407T DEPARTED T31 AT

AN UNKNOWN TIME.

A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF RADAR INFORMATION REVEALED N4407T APPROACHED THE AIRPORT FROM THE

NORTHWEST, BEFORE TURNING EAST OVER THE AIRPORT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,800 FT. A TRANSPONDER SIGNAL

WAS NOT RECEIVED FROM N2889K; HOWEVER, IT APPEARED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED T31'S

RUNWAY 17 AND HEADED NORTH, IN A DOWNWIND TRAFFIC PATTERN. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION INDICATED

BOTH AIRPLANES WERE BASED AT T31.

SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE ACCIDENT, INCLUDING AIRPLANES FLYING LOW AND CLOSE

TOGETHER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

T31 IS A PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPORT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THE AIRPORT FEATURES A SINGLE RUNWAY,

ORIENTED 17/35. THE AIRPORT IS NON-TOWERED AND PILOTS ARE TO USE THE CTAF (COMMON TRAFFIC

ADVISORY FREQUENCY) FOR COMMUNICATIONS. THE PILOTS WERE NOT IN CONTACT WITH AN AIR TRAFFIC

CONTROL FACILITY/TOWER, NOR REQUIRED TO BE.

N2889K IMPACTED A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND CAME TO REST IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. EVIDENCE OF

FUEL WAS PRESENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, AND THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE.

N4407T IMPACTED AN OPEN CONCRETE AREA OF A STORAGE FACILITY ABOUT ONE-QUARTER MILE, EAST FROM

N2889K. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED JUST BEYOND THE INITIAL GROUND IMPACT POINT AND CAME TO

REST NEAR STORAGE LOCKERS. A POST-CRASH FIRE CONSUMED A PORTION OF THE WRECKAGE.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N4407T, Piper PA-28R-200: [Accident 20161231019642A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161231019642A)

## 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 CEN17FA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA063), Dec 31, 2016: Luscombe 8 (N2889K), McKinney, TX, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The other pilot's use of an alternate traffic pattern entry procedure, which resulted in his inability to see and avoid the airplane, which was flying the preferred traffic pattern, and the…

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.

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