- Date
- July 6, 2017, 06:15 local (11:15 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Island, NE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N45609Luscombe 8
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170706010549A
- Case key
- 95550
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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
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 flight instructor reported that, during an instructional flight, when the tailwheel-equipped airplane was at rotation for takeoff, it sharply veered to the left. When safe flight was not assured, the flight instructor took over control from the student pilot, and subsequently the airplane exited the runway into the adjacent grassy area. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that during an instructional flight, when the tailwheel-equipped airplane was at rotation for takeoff, it sharply veered to the left. When safe flight was not assured, the flight instructor took over control from the student pilot, and subsequently landed the airplane in the grass area adjacent to the runway. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45609
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2136
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 3,187.47
- Engine
- Continental A65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 2016
- Departed
- GRI · Grand Island, NE
- Destination
- GRI · Grand Island, NE
- Airport
- GRI · Central Nebraska Regional Airp, runway 17, 7,002 × 150 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Unknown
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 16, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 2,062 total · 1.5 in this make and model · 1,812 as pilot in command · 41.2 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 4.3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 20, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,893 total · 64 in this make and model · 1,701 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KGRI
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 5, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 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.
Other investigations on N45609 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.