- Date
- May 5, 1985, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Verden, OK
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N2497KLuscombe 8E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850505018829A
- Case key
- 21546
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
At about 1700 CDT on 5/5/85, the acft was observed taking off at chickasha, OK. At sometime after 1700, an acft matching its description was observed flying low over a lake. A witness in that area observed it pulled up in a steep climb over the dam, until it nearly stopped, then it dove vertically & recovered at low alt. The plt then flew to an area were the acft subsequently crashed on open terrain. There were no known witnesses to the accident. The acft was found aprx 24 hrs later. An exam of the wreckage revealed indications that the acft had impacted in a near vertical descent while spinning to the left. However, no preimpact part failure or malfunction was found. A toxicology check of the plt's blood showed an alcohol level of 0.194%; a check his urine showed an alcohol level of 0.185%.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2497K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5224
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth M. Franks
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CHK · Chickasha, OK
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OKC, 40 nm away
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 N2497K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.