- Date
- October 3, 2008, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Greeley, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N25342Luscombe 8A
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20081003851129A
- Case key
- 69216
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll resulting in a ground loop. Contributing to the accident was the lack of remedial action from the flight instructor.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was performing a touch-and-go landing to runway 34 in partial completion of a flight review. During the landing roll, the airplane ground looped to the left. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or failures with the airplane or its systems prior to the accident. The flight instructor took no action during the ground loop.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was performing a touch and go landing to runway 34 (10,000 by 100 feet, asphalt) in partial completion of a flight review. During the landing roll, the airplane ground looped to the left. The right auxiliary wing spar was bent upward, and the right main landing gear was folded under. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or failures with the airplane or its systems prior to the accident. The flight instructor took no action during the ground loop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25342
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1218
- Airframe hours
- 5,342.2
- Engine
- reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 12, 2008
- Departed
- EIK · Erie, CO
- Destination
- EIK · Erie, CO
- Airport
- GXY · Greeley/Weld County Airport, runway 34, 10,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- October 11, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,422 total · 1,019 in this make and model · 1,352 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 5, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 587 total · 58 in this make and model · 537 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KGXY, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N25342 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.