- Date
- August 30, 2003, 07:46 local (12:46 UTC)
- Place
- Maquoketa, IA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1954BLuscombe 8A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - Des Moines FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030830021729A
- Case key
- 57847
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 excessive use of the brake system, which resulted in directional control not being maintained during the landing. A factor to the accident was the crosswind.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane nosed over while landing on runway 33. The pilot reported the airplane "touched down smoothly on the [main landing gear]" and he held some forward control stick to keep the main landing gear on the runway. The pilot reported that during the landing rollout the airplane began to drift to the left and he "applied right brake" to correct the drift. The pilot stated that the airplane then "swerved to the right" and he "applied left brake without releasing the [right brake]." The airplane immediately nosed over on the runway centerline. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures during the accident flight. The local winds were recorded as 040 degrees true at 8 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 30, 2003, at 0746 central daylight time, a Luscombe 8A, N1954B, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over while landing on runway 33 (3,300 feet by 60 feet, asphalt) at the Maquoketa Municipal Airport (OQW), Maquoketa, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his passenger reported minor injuries. The flight originated from Erie Air Park (3H5), Erie, Illinois, at 0700.
According to the pilot's written statement, while on final approach to the runway the airplane had a "considerable crab angle" in order to maintain the extended runway centerline. The pilot stated the airplane "touched down smoothly on the [main landing gear]" and he held some forward control stick to keep the main landing gear on the runway. The pilot reported that during the landing rollout the airplane began to drift to the left and he "applied right brake" to correct the drift. The pilot stated that the airplane then "swerved to the right" and he "applied left brake without releasing the [right brake]." The airplane immediately nosed over on the runway centerline.
The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures during the accident flight.
The automated surface observing system (ASOS) at the Dubuque Regional Airport, located approximately 21 nautical miles north of OQW, recorded the following information at 0748:
Wind 040 degrees true at 8 knots; 10 statute mile visibility; broken clouds at 2,600 and 5,000 feet above ground level (agl); temperature 17 degrees Celsius; dew point of 15 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.28 inches-of-mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1954B
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6381
- Airframe hours
- 1,500
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 8, 2003 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- 3H5 · Erie, IL
- Destination
- OQW · Maquoketa, IA
- Airport
- OQW · Maquoketa Municipal Airport, runway 33, 3,300 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 160 in this make and model · 900 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- DBQ, 21 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.