# NTSB NYC97LA112: Luscombe LL-8-E, N1750K, Charlottesville, VA, June 10, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 10, 1997, 11:10 local (15:10 UTC) - Place: Charlottesville, VA - Coordinates: 38.090278, -78.559425 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0903&lon=-78.5594&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 21, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39373 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC97LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39373/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA112 ## Probable cause The left main landing gear collapsed due to corrosion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,main gear attachment - corroded (cause) - Nose down, landing - roll - terrain condition - runway - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The two pilots aboard were both certified flight instructors. The purpose of the flight was for one of the two pilots to renew the others tailwheel currency. During the landing left main gear collapsed. The instructing pilot performed the landing. He stated 'I landed the aircraft three point and let the aircraft decelerate in a ground roll of 1,000 feet. With approximately 3,000 feet of runway remaining the [other pilot] asked if I wanted some brakes, I said 'just a little bit.' We were traveling below 20 knots by now. The right seat was not equipped with brakes. After I responded...I felt the aircraft swing 180 degrees right, rapidly. The left wheel broke off, and the tube collapsed. The aircraft came to rest on the left wing, right main and tail wheel. The propeller striking the runway stopped the engine.' Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear had 'heavy corrosion (rust) where the strut joined the axle,' which was at the point of separation. ## Factual narrative On June 10, 1997, about 1110 eastern daylight time, a Luscombe LL-8-E, N1750K, was substantially damaged when the gear collapsed during the landing roll, at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, Charlottesville, Virginia. The two certificated flight instructors were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. No flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form, the pilot stated the purpose of the flight was to renew another flight instructor's tailwheel currency. The pilot then stated the following: "We had been in the local practice area doing turns, steep turns, stalls, slow flight and were returning to the airport for landing. As per our prior arrangement [the flight instructor receiving instruction] flew the aircraft to short final where I took the aircraft for a full stop landing. I landed the aircraft three point and let the aircraft decelerate in a ground roll of 1,000 feet. With approximately 3,000 feet of runway remaining [student instructor] asked if I wanted some brakes, I said "just a little bit." We were traveling below 20 knots by now. The right seat was not equipped with brakes. After I responded...I felt the aircraft swing 180 degrees right, rapidly. The left wheel broke off, and the tube collapsed. The aircraft came to rest on the left wing, right main and tail wheel. The propeller striking the runway stopped the engine." The wreckage was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector. The Inspector stated that "the point at which the landing gear broke has heavy corrosion (rust) where the strut joined the axle." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1750K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1750K-2017-05-09), registration cancelled 2017-05-09, S/N 4477, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Luscombe LL-8-E - 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: 4477 - Engines: Continental C85 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Andrew E. Guthrow - Registered owner: Jonathan M Baron - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: CHO - Airport: CHO, Charlottesville-Albemarle, runway 3, 6,001 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 1,450 total, 11 in this make and model, 1,350 as pilot in command, 200 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 6 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: CHO ## 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 19970610019999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970610019999A), Jun 10, 1997: Luscom 8E, Charlottesville, VA, Substantial damage. Student CFI misused brakes on landing roll. Ground looped. Broke off wheel. No brakes on CFI right side. ## Other investigations on N1750K (1) 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. - [NTSB GAA17CA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA038), Oct 15, 2016: Luscombe 8 (N1750K), Wilmington, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion. 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.