# NTSB ANC93LA165: Luscombe 8A, N71585, Kijik River, AK, September 1, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 1, 1993, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Kijik River, AK - Coordinates: 60.199241, -154.280532 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.1992&lon=-154.2805&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2420 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC93LA165 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2420/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA165 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE DURING THE LOW PASS. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT SAID HE WAS 'DRAGGING THE STRIP' TO CHECK THE SUITABILITY OF THE AREA FOR A FUTURE LANDING AREA FOR HUNTING CLIENTS. DURING THE LOW PASS THE RIGHT WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN IN A HOLE. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, TOUCHED DOWN IN ANOTHER HOLE, THEN NOSED OVER. ## Factual narrative On September 1, 1993, at 1500 Alaska daylight time, the pilot of a wheel equipped Luscombe 8A airplane, N71585, lost control of the airplane and crashed while maneuvering in a mountain valley near the Kijik River, approximately 30 miles northeast of Port Alsworth, Alaska. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Port Alsworth at about 1415, with a destination of the Stony River Lodge. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone interview on September 3, 1993, the pilot stated the following, in part: "I was trying to follow the map and fly through the mountains. I was not familiar with the area and had never flown that route before. I had flown through one little pass, then realized that I had gone the wrong way and was too far east. I saw a valley heading to the west so I decided to fly that way. I could see a saddle at the end and over into another valley. I had added power, but realized that the airplane wasn't going to climb high enough in time to get over the saddle, so I decided to turn around and get out. During the turn I didn't notice that the airspeed had got so slow. The airplane suddenly stalled and went into a spin. I might have got into a downdraft. I was pretty close to the ground, but managed to pull the nose up and get out of the spin and into a pretty level attitude. The airplane pancaked in right at the bottom of the pull up and the fuselage broke in half." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N71585](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N71585-2013-05-03), registration cancelled 2013-05-03, S/N 3012, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LUSCOMBE 8A - Registry model: [Luscombe 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a) (registry code 8190104) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3012 - Airframe hours: 2890 - Engines: CONTINENTAL A-65 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Hicks, Seymore - Registered owner: Moulton, Katherine L. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 18, 1993, 60 hours before - Departed: Z30, PORT ALSWORTH, AK - Destination: STONY RIVER, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 800 total, 600 in this make and model, 800 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 57 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930901032999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930901032999A), Sep 1, 1993: Luscom 8A, Kijik River, AK, Substantial damage. Unable to climb over rising terrain. Tried turn around. Stall spin occurred recovered prior to hard ground impact. ## Other investigations on N71585 (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 ANC93LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA018), Dec 4, 1992: Luscombe SL8 (N71585), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMANDS IMPROPER TAXI SPEED. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.