What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 24, 2018, approximately 1418 central standard time, a Quartz Mountain Aerospace Inc. Luscombe 11E was substantially damaged while making an emergency off-airport in a baseball field approximately 1 mile northwest of millard (mle) airport. The flight originated from millard (mle) on an instruction flight, approximately 3 hours earlier. The instructor and commercial pilot were the only occupants of the aircraft.
The instructor and commercial pilot departed VFR for an instrument cross-country instructional flight from millard (mle) to wayne, Nebraska (lcg), grand island, Nebraska (gri), and return to millard (mle). During a simulated instrument approach to runway 12 into millard (mle), the aircraft?s engine lost power. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft. The aircraft clipped treetops prior to landing in a baseball field. Upon touchdown, the aircraft continued 124 feet and collided with a tree, fence posts, and a chain-link fence. The instructor and commercial pilot was not injured and no injuries to others on the ground.
The aircraft was relocated to a hangar at the millard (mle) airport. The aircraft owner, maintenance personnel, and FAA inspectors discovered ½ gallon total in the fuel system. The fuel capacity of the Luscombe is 42 gallons total (40 gallons useable). According to the fueler, the aircraft was not full of fuel, prior to take-off. Aircraft records indicate the aircraft flew 3.1 hours hobbs and 3.1 hours of tachometer time during the accident flight.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 24, 2018, APPROXIMATELY 1418 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A QUARTZ MOUNTAIN AEROSPACE INC. LUSCOMBE 11E WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE MAKING AN EMERGENCY OFF-AIRPORT IN A BASEBALL FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE NORTHWEST OF MILLARD (MLE) AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM MILLARD (MLE) ON AN INSTRUCTION FLIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS EARLIER. THE INSTRUCTOR AND COMMERCIAL PILOT WERE THE ONLY OCCUPANTS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
THE INSTRUCTOR AND COMMERCIAL PILOT DEPARTED VFR FOR AN INSTRUMENT CROSS-COUNTRY INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT FROM MILLARD (MLE) TO WAYNE, NEBRASKA (LCG), GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA (GRI), AND RETURN TO MILLARD (MLE). DURING A SIMULATED INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO RUNWAY 12 INTO MILLARD (MLE), THE AIRCRAFT?S ENGINE LOST POWER. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPED TREETOPS PRIOR TO LANDING IN A BASEBALL FIELD. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED 124 FEET AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE, FENCE POSTS, AND A CHAIN-LINK FENCE. THE INSTRUCTOR AND COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND NO INJURIES TO OTHERS ON THE GROUND.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELOCATED TO A HANGAR AT THE MILLARD (MLE) AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER, MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND FAA INSPECTORS DISCOVERED ½ GALLON TOTAL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FUEL CAPACITY OF THE LUSCOMBE IS 42 GALLONS TOTAL (40 GALLONS USEABLE). ACCORDING TO THE FUELER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT FULL OF FUEL, PRIOR TO TAKE-OFF. AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT FLEW 3.1 HOURS HOBBS AND 3.1 HOURS OF TACHOMETER TIME DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.