# NTSB CHI02LA064: Luscombe 8A, N71677, Wahoo, NE, January 18, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 18, 2002, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Wahoo, NE - Coordinates: 41.209091, -96.619987 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2091&lon=-96.6200&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - Lincoln FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54051 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA064 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54051/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54051 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA064 ## Probable cause The student, who was a private pilot, used excessive braking during the landing roll. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose down, landing - roll - brakes(normal) - excessive, dual student (cause) ## Analysis The airplane nosed down on the runway during the landing roll. The purpose of the flight was for the student to receive instruction for a tailwheel endorsement. The student reported that they had spent about one hour practicing takeoff and landings on the grass runway. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the student was progressing very well so they decided to switch to the concrete runway. The CFI reported that the second landing on the concrete runway was normal. He reported that as the airplane slowed during the landing roll, it nosed down despite "...elevator efforts to stop it." The CFI reported that the student pilot either over braked or the brake system was not functioning properly. The student reported, "On second landing, during rollout, either I pushed too much brake or we both pushed the same brake and the aircraft nosed over." Post accident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any failure/malfunction of the brake system which would have resulted in the excessive braking. ## Factual narrative On January 18, 2002, at 1400 central standard time, a Luscombe 8A, N71677, nosed down while landing on runway 20 (4,101 feet by 75 feet, concrete) at the Wahoo Municipal Airport, Wahoo, Nebraska. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the private pilot (student) were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to the firewall. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from a private airstrip in Lincoln, Nebraska, at 1215. The purpose of the flight was for the student to receive instruction for a tailwheel endorsement. The student reported that they spent about one hour practicing takeoff and landings on the grass runway with a 30 degree crosswind. The CFI reported that the student was progressing very well, so they decided to switch to the concrete runway 20. The CFI reported the second landing on runway 20, with a 60 degrees crosswind, was normal and there was no tendency to ground loop. The CFI reported that as the airplane slowed during the landing roll, it nosed down despite "...elevator efforts to stop it." He reported that either the student had over braked or brake system was not functioning properly. The student reported that "On second landing, during rollout, either I pushed too much brake or we both pushed the same brake and the aircraft nosed over." The student pilot reported that at the time of the accident, the local winds were from 140 degrees at 10 knots. Inspection of the airplane was conducted by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Lincoln, Nebraska, Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported the engine mounts were pushed back into the firewall. He also reported that there was no mechanical failure/malfunction of the brake system which would have resulted in the excessive braking. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N71677](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N71677-2014-11-13), registration cancelled 2014-11-13, S/N 3104, built 1946 (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: 3104 - Airframe hours: 3350 - Engines: Continental C-85-8 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: John R. Kunkle - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 9, 2001, 18 hours before - Departed: PVT, Lincoln, NE - Destination: AHQ, Wahoo, NE - Airport: AHQ, Wahoo Municipal Airport, runway 20, 4,101 × 75 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 64; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 28, 2001; seat: rear; flight hours: 38,800 total, 130 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; injuries: none - Student pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 167 total, 12 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 9 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: LNK, 28 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 20020118007979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020118007979A), Jan 18, 2002: Luscom 8A, Wahoo, NE, No damage. (-23) Instructor and student were practicing touch and goes at ahq on runway 20. While making an attempt to land, the instructor stated that the student had… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54051. 796 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 796 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379975&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.