- Date
- November 3, 2012, 12:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place
- West Bend, WI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2368KLuscombe 8E
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121103024049A
- Case key
- 85498
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 clearance from power lines at the end of the short runway, which resulted in an aborted takeoff and subsequent nose-over of the airplane.
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 departed a 1,500-foot-long grass runway in calm wind conditions and was unable to gain enough altitude to clear power lines at the end of the runway. He aborted the takeoff and landed in a plowed field near the departure end of the runway. The airplane nosed over on landing damaging the vertical stabilizer, the right wing tip, both main landing gear, and the propeller. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. He said the accident could have been prevented if he had waited for better wind conditions or extended the takeoff roll to gain additional airspeed.
Factual narrative
The pilot departed a 1,500 foot-long grass runway in calm wind conditions and was unable to gain enough altitude to clear power lines at the end of the runway. He aborted the takeoff and landed in a plowed field near the departure end of the runway. The airplane nosed over on landing damaging the vertical stabilizer, the right wing tip, both main landing gear and the propeller. The pilot reported there were no mechanical problems with the airplane or engine. He said the accident could have been prevented if he had waited for better wind conditions and/or extended the takeoff roll to gain additional airspeed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2368K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5095
- Airframe hours
- 2,351
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85 SERIES, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- S & S Aero Works LLC
- Registered owner
- S & S Aero Works LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 22, 2012
- Departed
- None · West Bend, WI
- Destination
- HXF · Hartford, WI
- Airport
- None · Private, runway 09, 1,200 × 60 ft
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
- 46
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 702 total · 2 in this make and model · 114 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- ETB, 15 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 565 KB 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.
Other investigations on N2368K · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.