# NTSB LAX08CA051: Luscombe 8E, N71730, Brigham City, UT, January 20, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 19, 2008, 17:20 local (Jan 20, 2008, 00:20 UTC) - Place: Brigham City, UT - Coordinates: 41.552223, -112.062225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5522&lon=-112.0622&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 31, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 67459 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX08CA051 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67459/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA051 ## Probable cause The failure of the landing gear/ski attachment assembly due to inadequate maintenance. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: wheel/ski/float](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023246): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023246/cases.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023246/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Terrain: snowy/icy terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030/cases.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030/cases.md) - [Maintenance: scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 320 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Luscombe 8E, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=8190112), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot took off in his ski-equipped airplane. Upon accelerating through 65 mph, just as the airplane was beginning to climb, the pilot heard a noise coming from the side of the airplane. He saw that the tip of a ski was dislodged from its normal position, and was upside down. After evaluating the situation, the pilot decided to land on the same ski runway. As the airplane decelerated following touchdown, the pilot lost directional control, and the airplane swerved and nosed over. During the subsequent examination of the airplane, a bungee cable, used to secure and position one of the skis to the landing gear strut, was found too long. The ski assembly shock cords on the skis were found to be in poor condition, aged, and weak. ## Factual narrative On January 19, 2008, about 1720 mountain standard time, a Luscombe 8E, N71730, nosed over during landing at the Brigham City Airport, Brigham City, Utah. The airplane's left wing impacted the snow-covered runway surface, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. The pilot owned and operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The flight originated from the airport about 1630. The pilot reported that during takeoff in his ski-equipped airplane, just as he was beginning to ascend at 65 miles per hour, he heard a noise coming from the side of the airplane. The pilot observed that the tip of a ski was dislodged from its normal position; it was upside down. After evaluating the situation, the pilot decided to land on the same ski runway from which he had departed. Following touchdown, as the airplane decelerated, directional control was lost as the airplane swerved and nosed over. The pilot examined his airplane, and he noted that the ski attachment bungee cables were intact. However, "it appeared that the front cable (on one ski) was too long." The pilot reported having flown his airplane many times with skis and he has never had a problem. But, on the accident flight, the "age of the bungee cord" may be in question. This was the pilot's first flight with skis in 10 years. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) coordinator examined the airplane several days after the mishap. The FAA coordinator reported that portions of the ski-equipped airplane's structure were deformed, and the outboard span of the left wing's leading edge was crushed aft. One of the ski attachments to the main gear strut was broken, and the ski assembly had separated from the strut. The ski assembly shock cords on the skis, that hold the skis in position on the gear struts, were found in poor condition, aged, and weak. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N71730](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N71730), registered now, S/N 3157 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Luscombe 8E - Registry model: [Luscombe 8E](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8e) (registry code 8190112) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C85 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (registry code 17008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3157 - Engines: Continental C85 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Stephen W. Sawyer - Registered owner: Stephen W. Sawyer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: BMC, Brigham City, UT - Destination: BMC, Brigham City, UT - Airport: BMC, Brigham City, runway 34R, 7,501 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 750 total, 640 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080119000229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080119000229A), Jan 19, 2008: Luscom 8E, Brigham City, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) The shock cords on the skis are in poor condition and weak. The shock cords are designed to keep the nose of the ski in a position to allow the trailing… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.