# NTSB CEN23LA118: Luscombe 8E, N2722K, Houston, TX, February 19, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 19, 2023, 13:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.818194, -95.672611 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8182&lon=-95.6726&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration; Houston FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 106767 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA118 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106767/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106767 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA118 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to attain/maintain lateral airplane control during landing, which resulted in an impact with the runway surface. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that the landing touchdown was uneventful but that during landing rollout the airplane lurched to the left, rolled inverted, and came to rest on the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane’s left wing strut failed at its midpoint. Airport surveillance video showed that during landing the airplane’s right wing moved upward and the left wing descended and contacted the runway. The airplane then nosed over onto the runway and sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the left wing strut revealed that it had failed in overload from having contacted the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On February 19, 2023, at 1330 central standard time, a Luscombe 8E, N2722K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Houston, Texas. The commercial pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that the landing touchdown was uneventful. During landing rollout and about 1,630 ft down the runway, the airplane “lurched to the left,” rolled inverted, and came to rest on the runway. The pilot stated that the left wing strut failed at its midpoint. Airport surveillance video showed that during landing the airplane’s right wing moved upward and the left wing descended and contacted the runway. The airplane then nosed over onto the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that it was equipped with heel brakes. Examination of the brake system and flight control system revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The examination of the left wing strut revealed that it had failed in overload. The airplane sustained substantial damage that included damage to the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and left wing strut. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2722K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2722K), registered now, S/N 5449, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LUSCOMBE 8E - Registry model: [Luscombe 8E](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8e) (registry code 8190112) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C85 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (registry code 17008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5449 - Year built: 1947 - Airframe hours: 4500 - Engines: Carburetor 85-12 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: K R Oddy Associates Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: January 15, 2023 - Departed: RYW, Lago Vista, TX - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: IWS, West Houston Airport, runway 15, 3,953 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 3, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,114 total, 25 in this make and model, 1,020 as pilot in command, 72 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 5 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: TME, 12 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20230219001449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230219001449A), Feb 19, 2023: Luscombe 8E, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. On 02/23/2023, an operations inspector interviewed the pilot. The pilot stated that the approach and landing to runway 15 were normal and that there was a… ## Other investigations on N2722K (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 LAX68D0347](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX68D0347), Mar 9, 1968: Luscombe 8E (N2722K), El Monte, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106767. 22.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16746118&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Airport surveillance video 1 of 3 (item 2, MP4, 9.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16580112&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=IMG_0894.hevc-converted-Rel.mp4 - Airport surveillance video 2 of 3 (item 3, MP4, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16579920&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=IMG_0895.hevc-converted-Rel.mp4 - Airport surveillance video 3 of 3 (item 4, MP4, 4.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16580132&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=IMG_0896.hevc-converted-Rel.mp4 - Record of conversation - FAA (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16581775&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20of%20Conv%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 6, PDF, 7 pages, 963 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16585330&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-Rel.pdf 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.