# NTSB DEN03LA144: Luscombe 8E, N1614K, Longmont, CO, August 16, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 16, 2003, 11:20 local (17:20 UTC) - Place: Longmont, CO - Coordinates: 40.163612, -105.163055 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1636&lon=-105.1631&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 1, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Denver, Colorado - NTSB case key (mKey): 57710 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA144 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57710/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA144 ## Probable cause Separation of the landing gear tire valve stem resulting in the left main tire deflating, and the pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - roll - landing gear,tire - deflated (cause) - landing gear,tire valve stem - separation - Nose over, landing - roll - aircraft control - not possible, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot said he was practicing touch-and-go landings. He said that on a previous 2-point landing, "it felt like someone was pushing and releasing the brakes. It was not severe so [he] continued to takeoff speed and rotated." The next landing was a 3-point landing and "touchdown and rollout initially were fine." When he applied heel brakes, "the left wheel folded and started flapping" and the airplane yawed to the left. The pilot corrected with right rudder. The pilot said there was insufficient airflow to hold the tail down, and the nose and prop struck the ground. The airplane skidded approximately 10 feet on the nose before nosing over on the runway. Postaccident inspection by a mechanic revealed the left main tire was flat. He said the tire looked normal and "showed no protrusions." The mechanic said the valve stem was "torn from the tube with no indications of dry-rotting in the rubber or misalignment of the tube. There was a small hole, most likely caused by pinching during the rollout of the aircraft with the tube deflated." ## Factual narrative On August 16, 2003, approximately 1120 mountain daylight time, a Luscombe 8E, N1614K, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over and impacted terrain while landing at Vance Brand Airport, Longmont, Colorado. The commercial pilot-in-command and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Longmont at approximately 1030. The pilot said he was practicing touch-and-go landings. He said that on a previous 2-point landing, "it felt like someone was pushing and releasing the brakes. It was not severe so [he] continued to takeoff speed and rotated." The next landing was a 3-point landing and "touchdown and rollout initially were fine." When he applied heel brakes, "the left wheel folded and started flapping," and the airplane yawed to the left. The pilot corrected with right rudder. The pilot said there was insufficient airflow to hold the tail down, and the nose and prop struck the ground, skidding approximately 10 feet on the nose. The airplane nosed over on the runway. Postaccident inspection by a mechanic revealed a flat left main tire was flat. He said the tire looked normal and "showed no protrusions." The mechanic said the valve stem was "torn from the tube with no indications of dry-rotting in the rubber or misalignment of the tube. There was a small hole, most likely caused by pinching during the rollout of the aircraft with the tube deflated." The top of the vertical stabilizer was crushed, the right wing spar and lift strut were bent, the aft portion of the fuselage was buckled, both main landing gear wheel pants were fractured, the right and left passenger doors were separated, and the lower engine cowling and propeller spinner were scraped. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1614K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1614K-2007-02-01), registration cancelled 2007-02-01, S/N 4341, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Luscombe 8E - Registry model: [Luscombe 8E](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8e) (registry code 8190112) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4341 - Airframe hours: 3081 - Engines: Lycoming O-290-D 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Benjamin A. Scharf - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 5, 2003, 27.9 hours before - Departed: 2V2, Longmont, CO - Destination: 2V2, Longmont, CO - Airport: 2V2, Vance Brand, runway 29, 4,800 × 75 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 24, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 437 total, 15 in this make and model, 301 as pilot in command, 80 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 12 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: BJC, 16 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 20030816019809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030816019809A), Aug 16, 2003: Luscom 8E, Longmont, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft was doing touch and go landings at (2V2). According to the pilot he noticed a slight left yaw on the last takeoff. The subsequent landing was… ## Other investigations on N1614K (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 DEN01LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA115), Jun 9, 2001: Luscombe 8E (N1614K), Longmont, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. A contributing factor was the tailwind. 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.