LAX01LA090

NTSB accident investigation · Luscombe 8F · Tombstone, AZ · February 3, 2001

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 3, 2001, 08:45 local (15:45 UTC)
Place
Tombstone, AZ
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N747MPLuscombe 8F
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 6, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA, ARIZONA FSDO
FAA report
20010203001319A
Case key
51436

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's lack of directional control on the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and inadvertent nose over.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Ground loop/swerve - inadvertentPilot in command
Nose overLanding - roll

Analysis

On landing roll, in an effort to prevent the airplane from departing the left side of the runway, the pilot applied pressure to the right brake and the airplane nosed over. The owner was sitting in the right seat, and was letting his friend fly the airplane. He did not have brakes on the right side. During the landing roll, the airplane began to veer to the left edge of the runway. The owner estimated the speed was about 25 miles per hour. He attempted to help steer the airplane back to the centerline.

Factual narrative

On February 3, 2001, about 0845 hours mountain standard time, a Luscombe 8F, N747MP, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during the landing roll at the municipal airport at Tombstone, Arizona. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot manipulating the controls was believed to hold a Canadian pilot's certificate. He and the Airline Transport Pilot pilot/owner sustained minor injuries. The personal flight departed Marana Northwest Regional Airpark, Marana, Arizona, about 0750. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed.

The owner stated he knew the pilot was a Canadian military pilot. He assumed the pilot held a civilian Canadian certificate, but did not know what type. The pilot had flown the airplane when the owner bought the airplane several years ago, and the owner let him fly it during yearly visits.

The owner was sitting in the right seat and was letting his friend fly the airplane from the left seat. The airplane is not equipped with brakes on the right side. During the landing roll, the airplane began to veer to the left edge of the runway. The owner estimated the speed was about 25 miles per hour. He attempted to help steer the airplane back to the centerline. The pilot applied pressure to the right brake and the airplane nosed over.

Aircraft

Registration
N747MP
Reported as
Luscombe 8F
Category
Airplane
Serial number
6271
Airframe hours
4,250
Engine
Continental C90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Merrill Posner
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 24, 1999 · 84 hours before
Departed
AVQ · Marana, AZ
Destination
P29 · Tombstone, AZ
Airport
P29 · Tombstone Muni, runway 24, 4,610 × 65 ft, dirt

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
Pilot
Injuries
None
Certificate
Military
Medical
Unknown, Unknown
Seat
Left
Role
Other flight crew
Age
76
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Right
Flight hours
25,000 total · 82 in this make and model · 12,181 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
34 °F, dew point 21 °F
Altimeter
30.27 inHg
Observed at
DUG, 25 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.