- Date
- May 28, 2016, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Midland, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N72087Luscombe 8
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160528006329A
- Case key
- 93286
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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground-loop, main landing gear collapse and collision with terrain.
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.
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 of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, a gust of wind lifted the right wing "straight up into the air." The pilot further reported that she attempted to regain control, but the airplane continued to the left and impacted terrain next to the runway in a side load configuration, which resulted in a main landing gear collapse. The fuselage and both wings were substantially damaged. The airport's automated weather observing system, about the time of the accident, reported the wind at 180 degrees true at 10 knots, gusting to 21 knots, for the landing on runway 28. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, a gust of wind lifted the right wing "straight up into the air." The pilot further reported that she attempted to regain control, but the airplane continued to the left and impacted terrain next to the runway in a side load configuration, which resulted in a main landing gear collapse. The fuselage and both wings were substantially damaged. The airport's automated weather observing system, about the time of the accident, reported the wind at 180 degrees true at 10 knots, gusting to 21 knots, for the landing on runway 28. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N72087
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3514
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 3,130.1
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12-F, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 17, 2015
- Departed
- SWW · Sweetwater, TX
- Destination
- MAF · Midland, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- MAF · Midland Intl, runway 28, 8,302 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 53
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 18, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 314 total · 177 in this make and model · 193 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KMAF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 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.