# NTSB CHI01LA065: Luscombe 8E, N2953K, North Platte, NE, January 16, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 15, 2001, 23:35 local (Jan 16, 2001, 05:35 UTC) - Place: North Platte, NE - Coordinates: 41.130207, -100.770828 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1302&lon=-100.7708&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 1, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 50936 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI01LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50936/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA065 ## Probable cause The inadvertent ground loop. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot selected the wrong runway on which to land, the quartering tailwind, the icy runway, and the snow bank which the airplane contacted. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - wrong runway - used, pilot in command (contributing factor) - terrain condition - icy (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The airplane contacted a snow bank and nosed over during landing. The pilot reported that he landed the airplane on runway 12 after hearing another airplane depart from that runway. He reported that during the landing, the airplane contacted "black-ice" on the runway and ground looped. The airplane traveled to the left side of the runway where it contacted a snow bank and nosed over. The pilot reported the local winds at the time of the accident were from 300 degrees at 12 knots. The North Platte Regional Airport weather observation, taken 16 minutes after the accident, reported the winds from 010 degrees at 8 knots. ## Factual narrative On January 15, 2001, at 2335 central standard time, a Luscombe 8E, N2953K, operated by a private pilot, contacted a snow bank and nosed over on landing on runway 12 (8,000 feet by 150 feet) at the North Platte Regional Airport, North Platte, Nebraska. The pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated form Ogallala, Nebraska, at 2210 central standard time. The pilot reported that upon nearing the airport, he heard another pilot announcing his intention to depart the airport on runway 12. The accident pilot performed a 360-degree turn near the airport so that the other airplane could depart prior to him landing. He reported that he thought the departing airplane was a small aircraft and not the "commercial" that it actually was. The pilot reported, "I had reached the frontal boundary and the winds had shifted hence the reason the aircraft was using the 12 as the active runway." The pilot reported he made a left-hand traffic pattern. He reported, "I managed to successfully land the downwind landing only to ground-loop my aircraft after contacting black-ice on runway near end of roll-out on runway 12." The pilot reported the airplane traveled to the left edge of the runway where it contacted a snow bank and nosed over. The pilot reported the local winds at the time of the accident were from 300 degrees at 12 knots. The North Platte Regional Airport weather observation, taken 16 minutes after the accident, reported the winds from 010 degrees at 8 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2953K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2953K), registered now, S/N 5680, 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: 5680 - Airframe hours: 2600 - Engines: Continental C85-12F 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert P. Flannery - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 3, 2000, 69 hours before - Departed: OGA, Ogallala, NE - Destination: LBF, North Platte, NE - Airport: LBF, North Platte Regional, runway 12, 8,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 24, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 302 total, 72 in this make and model, 260 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 29 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 10° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,700 ft overcast - Temperature: 27 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: LBF ## 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 20010116004329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010116004329A), Jan 16, 2001: Luscom 8E, North Platte, NE, No damage. (-23) Aircraft N2953K landed on runway 12 with a wind from 360 @6KTS. While on landing roll-out the aircraft encountered ice and a right quartering tail wind… 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.