- Date
- January 7, 2012, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Umatilla, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N77859Luscombe 8A
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 24, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120107002729A
- Case key
- 82635
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
A failure of the left main landing gear due to a preexisting crack and corrosion, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.
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 upon touchdown on the runway, the tailwheel-equipped airplane drifted to the left. The pilot applied right rudder to correct, but the airplane continued to travel to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane contacted a ditch and nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and left wing. Postaccident examination revealed that the left main landing gear leg had collapsed and exhibited severe corrosion and evidence of a preexisting crack. The pilot also reported that the main gear strut failed because of cracks and corrosion.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was landing to refuel during a pleasure flight. He reported that after touchdown on the runway, the tailwheel-equipped airplane began drifting to the left. The pilot applied right rudder to correct, but the airplane continued to travel to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane contacted a ditch and nosed over coming to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and left wing. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left main landing gear leg had collapsed and exhibited severe corrosion and evidence of a preexisting crack. The pilot reported that there were no other mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77859
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3586
- Airframe hours
- 3,362
- Engine
- Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wheeler John W
- Registered owner
- Wheeler John W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 2, 2011
- Departed
- DED · DeLand, FL
- Destination
- DED · DeLand, FL
- Airport
- X23 · Umatilla Municipal Airport, runway 19, 2,500 × 60 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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 7, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,666 total · 469 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- VVG, 11 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 869 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.
Other investigations on N77859 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.