- Date
- March 19, 2011, 09:50 local (13:50 UTC)
- Place
- Taunton, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2790KLuscombe 8E
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110319003529A
- Case key
- 78599
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 inadvertent application of the brakes during recovery from a ground loop which resulted in a nose over.
Findings · 2
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.
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
The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to prepare for a biennial flight review. The approach and landing were uneventful; however, on the landing roll, at taxi speed, a strong crosswind gust, which exceeded rudder authority, causing the airplane to ground loop. The pilot applied the brakes which resulted in the airplane nosing over incurring substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage sections. The pilot stated that the wind was variable from 030 to 300 degrees gusting from 12 knots to 22 knots, and there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that the flight was in preparation for a biennial flight review. The approach and landing at the intended airport was uneventful. While on the landing roll, at taxi speed, with all three wheels on the ground, a strong crosswind gust, which exceeded rudder authority, started the airplane to ground loop. The pilot applied the brakes resulting in the airplane flipping over on the runway incurring substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage sections. The pilot stated the winds were variable from 030 to 300 degrees gusting from 12 knots to 22 knots, and there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2790K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5517
- Airframe hours
- 8,010
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85 SERIES, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 9, 2010
- Departed
- 08R · West Kingston, RI
- Destination
- TAN · Taunton, MA
- Airport
- TAN · Taunton, runway 30, 3,500 × 75 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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 381 total · 100 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- TAN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 759 KB 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.