- Date
- June 3, 1988, 11:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- Grantsville, UT
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N71646Luscombe 8E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 19, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880603061329A
- Case key
- 17374
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 acft was 1 of 3 that were lndd on a gravel road near a truck stop where the occupants had breakfast. Drg departure, the 1st 2 acft took off without incident. Witnesses rprtd that when the 3rd acft (N71646) took off, the plt began a left turn at about 75' AGL, then the acft began losing altitude. The plt stated the acft encountered 'enough tailwind and/or downdraft (due to freeway elevation) to cause loss of airspeed.' Subsequently, the acft dscndd & crashed on a southerly heading. One occupant was a 3-1/2 year old child, which was being held on his mother's lap when the acft took off. He received a fatal head injury drg the occurrence. The plt indicated the wind was from the north or northeastat 10 to 15 KTS, but said the windsock (on a nearby building) was hanging limp. Density altitude was aprx 6400'.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N71646
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3073
- Airframe hours
- 2,831
- Engine
- Continental C-90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Carruth, James B.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 8, 1987 · 241 hours before
- Destination
- BTF · Bountiful, UT
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,876 total · 2,832 as pilot in command · 101 in the last 90 days · 44 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SLC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.