- Date
- June 23, 2012, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mexico, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1380KLuscombe 8A
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120623013219A
- Case key
- 84073
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 airplane's encounter with a downdraft during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
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
The pilot and passenger had just completed a local flight from a private airfield. The pilot reported that he flared for the landing with the airplane’s airspeed between 60 and 65 mph at 3 to 4 feet above the ground, and the left wing dropped abruptly. The airplane’s left landing gear hit the ground hard and the airplane bounced; the pilot was then able to recover for a normal 3-point landing. An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated that it felt as though the airplane was pushed to the ground, which he believed was due to a strong downdraft or gust of wind. Wind in the area about 40 minutes before the accident was reported to be from 170 degrees at 7 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot and passenger had just completed a local flight from a private airfield. The pilot reported he flared for the landing, with the airplane’s airspeed between 60-65 mph and 3-4 feet above the ground, when the left wing dropped abruptly. The airplane’s left landing gear hit the ground hard and the airplane bounced; the pilot was then able to recover for a normal 3-point landing. The pilot added that it felt as though the airplane was pushed the ground, which he believed was due to a strong downdraft or gust of wind. An examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. Wind conditions in the area about 40 minutes before the accident were 170 degrees at 7 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1380K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4107
- Airframe hours
- 1,344
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Koebel Allan Trustee
- Registered owner
- Koebel Allan Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2011
- Departed
- Pvt · Mexico, MO
- Destination
- Pvt · Mexico, MO
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- Pvt · Rileys Roost
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 74
- Certificates
- Private, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- March 26, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,251 total · 992 in this make and model · 2,251 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KCOU, 30 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.