- Date
- October 7, 1993, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bristol, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N71492Luscombe 8A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931007044719A
- Case key
- 9408
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 abrupt maneuver (intentional swerve) and main gear collapse during the landing roll on a short grass strip.
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 pilot stated he side slipped the airplane to the runway threshold, then made a wheel landing. During rollout the pilot intentionally raised the right wing to veer off the left side of the grass strip towards the airport buildings. The pilot reported he felt the left main landing gear tip inwards so he straightened out the landing roll. The airplane came to rest about 30 feet off the departure end of the runway in a corn field, with the left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot stated he landed to the northeast (uphill) on the 800 foot long grass strip. The pilot reported the winds were out of 240 degrees at 5 knots, and the runway condition was 'damp, fresh cut.'
Factual narrative
On October 7, 1993, at 0930 hours eastern standard time, a Luscombe 8A, N71492, piloted by a private pilot/airplane mechanic, veered off the left side of the 800 foot long grass runway at the Hatfield airstrip in Bristol, Indiana. The airplane sustained substantial damage when the left main landing gear collapsed as it veered into a cornfield. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Nappanee, Indiana approximately 0915 hours.
The pilot reported he approached from the southwest, landing (uphill) to the northeast. He stated he side slipped the airplane to the runway threshold, then made a wheel landing. As the airplane rolled out, the pilot intentionally raised the right wing to veer off the left side of the runway towards the airport buildings. The pilot felt the left main landing gear "...tipped inwards..." so he straightened out the ground roll. The airplane continued off the departure end of the runway about 30 feet into standing corn, with the left main landing gear folded under.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N71492
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2919
- Airframe hours
- 1,606
- Engine
- Continental A65-8F, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Slagel, Dean G.
- Registered owner
- Slagel, Dean G.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 21, 1993 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- C03 · Nappanee, IN
- Airport
- IN69 · Hatfield, runway 4, 800 × 40 ft, grass/turf
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 541 total · 39 in this make and model · 433 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N71492 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.