- Date
- June 11, 2016, 19:30 local (Jun 12, 2016, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Valparaiso, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2850KLuscombe 8
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160611009329A
- Case key
- 93373
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 improper descent rate during landing, which resulted in a bounced landing, failure of the tailwheel suspension leaf spring, a ground loop, and substantial damage to the left wing.
Findings · 3
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 landing the airplane bounced, subsequently the leaf spring on the tail wheel broke midspan. The pilot further reported that the airplane veered to the right despite full left rudder deflection and brake application, which resulted in a ground loop, left main landing gear collapse, and substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during landing the airplane bounced, subsequently the leaf spring on the tail wheel broke midspan. The pilot further reported that the airplane veered to the right despite full left rudder deflection and brake application, which resulted in a ground loop, left main landing gear collapse, and substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2850K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5577
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 1,312
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 4, 2016
- Departed
- 3KK · Kankakee, IL
- Destination
- VPZ · Valparaiso, IN
- Airport
- VPZ · Porter County Rgnl, runway 36, 4,001 × 75 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 26, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 400 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KVPZ
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 11, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.
Other investigations on N2850K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.