- Date
- September 24, 1989, 00:00 local (06:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mackay, ID
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N71756Luscombe 8A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890924066379A
- Case key
- 41086
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
The pilot failed to maintain an adequate airspeed for flight. High density altitude was a factor.
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.
Analysis
During a local flight for the purpose of spotting antelope for a future hunting trip, the airplane collided with trees. The airplane was found at the base of one tree that indicated evidence of at least two propeller strikes. The nose of the plane was buried approximately three feet into the ground with the tail section elevated five feet above the terrain. As determined from tree strikes and the damage to the leading edge wing area, the airplane was in a near vertical descent at the time of the collision. Accident site 8,300 ft MSL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N71756
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3183
- Airframe hours
- 1,980
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Reeves, Edwin L.
- Registered owner
- Reeves, Edwin L Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 10, 1989 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- IDA · Idaho Falls, ID
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 167 total · 127 in this make and model · 126 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IDA, 84 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.
Other investigations on N71756 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.