# NTSB CEN25LA239: Luscombe 8A, N71790, Newaygo, MI, July 5, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 5, 2025, 09:31 local (13:31 UTC)
- Place: Newaygo, MI
- Coordinates: 43.42157, -85.82534
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4216&lon=-85.8253&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 9, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Grand Rapids FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200477
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA239
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200477/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200477
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA239

## Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning and his failure to adequately monitor the fuel level during the flight which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring equip/instruments](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was conducting a personal flight when about an hour into the flight he realized that the airplane was low on fuel. The pilot decided to divert to a nearby airport where he intended to refuel. However, about 8 miles from the airport the airplane had a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot made a forced landing to a grass field. The vertical stabilizer and rudder sustained substantial damage when the airplane nosed over during the forced landing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Additionally, the pilot acknowledged that the accident could have been prevented had he identified the airplane’s low fuel level earlier in the flight.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N71790](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N71790), registered now, S/N 3217 (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: 3217
- Year built: 1946
- Airframe hours: 2649
- Engines: Continental A-65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 7, 2024, 20 hours before
- Departed: Y91, Lake City, MI
- Destination: LWA, South Haven, MI
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review July 2, 2022; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 2,688.9 total, 503 in this make and model, 2,688.9 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 4.9 in the last 30 days, 1.1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observed at: KFFX, 8 nm away
- METAR: METAR KFFX 051335Z AUTO 22008KT 10SM CLR 28/22 A3003 RMK AO2=

## Other investigations on N71790 (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 NYC75FFA31](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC75FFA31), Mar 15, 1975: Luscombe 8A (N71790), Duanesburg, NY, substantial damage

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200477. 4.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19604585&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20NTSB_Form_6120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 7 pages, 6 photos, 920 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19603077&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Investigation%20Photographs-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.

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