ERA11CA053

NTSB accident investigation · Luscombe 8A · Hot Springs, VA · November 6, 2010

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 6, 2010, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
Place
Hot Springs, VA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N71102Luscombe 8A
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 16, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20101106050519A
Case key
77770

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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind during landing.

Findings · 4

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Action: incomplete actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotLuscombe 8A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 105 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedLuscombe 8A: 27 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specifiedLuscombe 8A: 5 casesAll aircraft: 1,008 cases
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specifiedLuscombe 8A: 4 casesAll aircraft: 1,199 cases

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

According to the pilot, he maneuvered the airplane into a slip configuration while on final approach in an effort to compensate for a crosswind. He landed on runway 25 with using a wheel-landing technique, where the main landing gear touchdown first and the tail gear follows during the landing roll. During the roll out, as the airplane slowed, a gust of wind struck its right side. The airplane began to veer to the right and the pilot attempted to regain directional control with full left rudder and opposing aileron. The airplane continued to veer to the right and flipped over, coming to rest inverted. As a result of the accident sequence, the airplane incurred damage to the left wing, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The wind reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 310 degrees at 14, gusting to 19 knots.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, he was compensating for a crosswind final approach by positioning the tailwheel-equipped airplane into a "steady slip." He landed on runway 25 with a “wheel landing technique,” and during the rollout, as the airplane slowed, a gust of wind struck its right side. The airplane began to veer to the right, and the pilot attempted to regain directional control with full left rudder and opposing aileron, but the airplane continued to veer to the right. The pilot was about to add power "to get some prop blast over the rudder and increase its authority," but the airplane skidded, flipped over and came to rest inverted resulting in substantial damage to the left wing, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 310 degrees at 14, gusting to 19 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N71102
Reported as
Luscombe 8A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
2529
Airframe hours
790
Engine
Cont Motor C-90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · February 22, 2010
Departed
OKV · Winchester, VA
Destination
HSP · Hot Springs, VA
Airport
HSP · Ingalls Field Airport, runway 25, 5,600 × 100 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
47
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 5, 2010
Seat
Left
Flight hours
840 total · 600 in this make and model · 800 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
310° at 14 knots, gusting 19
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
36 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter
30.13 inHg
Observed at
HSP

Docket · 6

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 3, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.