LAX04CA070

NTSB accident investigation · Luscombe 8E · San Jose, CA · December 18, 2003

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
December 18, 2003, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
Place
San Jose, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1338BLuscombe 8E
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 30, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20031218035369A
Case key
58506

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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll.

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
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - sign
Nose overLanding - roll

Analysis

The airplane veered off the runway on the landing rollout, struck a taxiway sign, and came to rest inverted. The pilot made a normal, straight-in approach to the runway, where he completed a three-point landing. During the landing roll, the right main gear and wing lifted. He corrected with right aileron, and the airplane began turning to the right. He then applied left rudder; however, he had released backpressure on the stick during the right aileron correction, and the rudder application was ineffective. The airplane then traveled off of the runway. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.

Factual narrative

On December 18, 2003, about 1130 Pacific standard time, a Luscombe 8E, N1338B, veered off runway 31L on the landing rollout, struck a taxiway sign, and came to rest inverted at the Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV), San Jose, California. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Hollister Municipal Airport (3O7), Hollister, California, about 1045.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that he made a normal, straight-in approach to the runway, where he completed a three-point landing. During the landing roll, the right main gear and wing lifted. He corrected with right aileron, and the airplane began turning to the right. He then applied left rudder; however, he had released backpressure on the stick during the right aileron correction, and the rudder application was ineffective. The airplane then traveled off of the runway, impacted a taxiway sign, and came to rest inverted. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N1338B
Reported as
Luscombe 8E
Category
Airplane
Serial number
5695
Airframe hours
1,805.9
Engine
Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Michael R. Ettl
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 3, 2003 · 13.6 hours before
Departed
3O7 · Hollister, CA
Destination
RHV · San Jose, CA
Airport
RHV · Reid-Hillview, runway 31L, 3,099 × 75 ft, asphalt

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
59
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
488 total · 22 in this make and model · 356 as pilot in command · 61 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
57 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.12 inHg
Observed at
RHV

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.