- Date
- June 3, 2008, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Indiantown, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N37012Luscombe 8A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080603839379A
- Case key
- 68163
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
An inadequate annual inspection that failed to detect a damaged rudder cable which resulted in the cable's subsequent failure during takeoff.
Findings · 4
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 Luscombe 8A was taking off from a turf runway, and had climbed to an altitude of about 10 feet above ground level, when the left rudder cable failed. The airplane yawed to the right and the left wing and nose contacted the ground. The airplane subsequently came to rest on the right side of the runway and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left rudder cable had separated at the first pulley under the cabin floor. The separated end of the cable was frayed and displayed evidence of corrosion. The airplane had been operated for about 25 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 11 months prior to the accident. At the time of the inspection, a mechanic noted that the control cables were inspected for damage per a required Airworthiness Directive.
Factual narrative
The Luscombe 8A was taking off from a turf runway, and had climbed to an altitude of about 10 feet above ground level, when the left rudder cable failed. The airplane yawed to the right and the left wing and nose contacted the ground. The airplane subsequently came to rest on the right side of the runway. The left outboard 4 feet of left wing was curled up, the left main landing gear separated and the fuselage was twisted. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left rudder cable had separated at the first pulley under the cabin floor. The separated end of the cable was frayed and displayed evidence of corrosion. The airplane had been operated for about 25 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 11 months prior to the accident. At the time of the inspection, a mechanic noted that the control cables were inspected for damage per a required Airworthiness Directive.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N37012
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1678
- Airframe hours
- 1,920
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental A65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Treasurer Coast Sport Flyers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2007 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- X58 · Indiantown, FL
- Destination
- SUA · Stuart, FL
- Airport
- X58 · Indiantown, runway 31, 6,300 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 631 total · 2 in this make and model · 544 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 82
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- OBE, 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.