# NTSB NYC00LA192: Luscombe 8A, N1155B, Westminster, MD, July 8, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 8, 2000, 13:07 local (17:07 UTC) - Place: Westminster, MD - Coordinates: 39.57077, -76.999237 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5708&lon=-76.9992&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49669 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC00LA192 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49669/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA192 ## Probable cause the delayed corrective action by the flight instructor. Factors were the failure of the private pilot to maintain directional control, his failure to use the brakes, and the lack of brakes on the right side for the flight instructor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - directional control - not maintained, dual student (contributing factor) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, takeoff - aborted - brakes(normal) - not used, dual student (contributing factor) - brakes(normal) - not available, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) ## Analysis The private pilot purchased a tailwheel airplane and hired a flight instructor to check him out. On the initial takeoff with the pilot operating the flight controls, the airplane drifted right, off the side of the runway and then crossed back over the runway to the left. The airplane continued and struck a hanger. Interviews disclosed neither pilot closed the throttle when the airplane departed the runway to the right. The pilot did close the throttle after the airplane had crossed back over the runway to the left. The pilot reported that he did not believed he had used the brakes, and the flight instructor did not have brakes on his side. ## Factual narrative On July 8, 2000, at 1307 Eastern Daylight Time, a Luscombe 8A, N1155B, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff at Clearview Airpark, Westminster, Maryland. The certificated private pilot/owner, and certificated flight instructor were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 The pilot reported that he had recently purchased the airplane and needed a tailwheel checkout, and secured the services of a flight instructor. The airplane was equipped with control sticks at each pilot station, and dual rudder pedals. The left side rudder pedals also contained the only set of brakes for the airplane. The engine power controls were located between the seats, on the lower middle of the instrument panel. The pilot reported he taxied to the gas pumps where the fuel tanks were filled, and then he taxied to the end of the runway for takeoff. The flight instructor reported that based upon the pilot's handling of the airplane and use of brakes, he felt the pilot could make the takeoff. The pilot reported that after he initiated the takeoff roll, the airplane drifted right, and then departed the right side of the runway. He did not retard the throttle and instead tried to bring the airplane back onto the runway, with both hands on the control stick. The airplane abruptly crossed over the runway, on a heading about 45 degrees left of the runway. After crossing over the runway, the pilot closed the throttle, but he did not believe he had used the brakes. The airplane struck the edge of a hanger with the right wing and pivoted until the left wing also struck the hanger. The pilot reported that things happened much more quickly than he expected. He had attempted to correct the directional control, first with ailerons, and then with rudder control; however, the airplane did not respond as he had expected. The flight instructor reported that he did not initially retard the throttle when the airplane departed the runway to the right, and that the pilot did retard the throttle once they had crossed over the runway to the left, and were headed towards the hanger. He said he was unable to stop the airplane after the throttle was closed due to no brakes on his side of the airplane. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), reported that he observed tire marks in the grass adjacent to the runway. The tire marks first appeared about 475 feet from the departure end, and ran parallel to the runway on the right side for about 200 feet. The tire marks then crossed back over the runway to the left, and continued for another 225 feet, terminating where the airplane struck the hanger. Runway 31 was 1,840 feet long, 30 feet wide, and had an asphalt surface. The pilot had accumulated about 125 hours of flight experience, with his last tailwheel experience over 20 years ago. The flight instructor reported that he had accumulated over 6,200 hours of flight experience, including over 100 hours in tailwheel type airplanes. He reported that due to a lack of recent tailwheel experience he had received a tail wheel checkout in a Piper J3 before he flew in the Luscombe. Both pilots confirmed that no takeoff briefing had been conducted, nor was transfer of control of the airplane ever discussed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1155B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1155B), registered now, S/N 5782 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Luscombe 8A - Registry model: [Luscombe 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a) (registry code 8190104) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5782 - Airframe hours: 2507 - Engines: Continental A-65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Thomas K. Zucal - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2000, 1 hours before - Departed: 2W2 - Destination: 2W6, LEONARDTOWN, MD - Airport: 2W2, Clearview Airpark, runway 31, 1,840 × 30 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 6,206 total, 2 in this make and model, 5,499 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BWI, 23 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000708004559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000708004559A), Jul 8, 2000: Luscom 8A, Westminster, MD, No damage. (-23) Aircraft was taking off on runway 31. Aircraft departed right side of at approx. 475 ft. traveled in grass approx. 200 ft. runway at a approx. 45 degree,… 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.