# NTSB DEN88FA120: Luscombe 8E, N71646, Grantsville, UT, June 3, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: June 3, 1988, 11:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place: Grantsville, UT
- Coordinates: 40.670215, -112.760414 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6702&lon=-112.7604&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 19, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17374
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN88FA120
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17374/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN88FA120

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor)
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - seat belt - not used, passenger

## 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 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: LUSCOMBE 8E
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 3073
- Airframe hours: 2831
- Engines: 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.

- Pilot; age 60; 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19880603061329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880603061329A), Jun 3, 1988: Luscom 8E, Grantsville, UT, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Took off from a unimproived strip. Lost lift out of ground effect turned to avoid terrain caught a wing and crashed

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.