- Date
- March 13, 2013, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Madera, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1544KLuscombe 8A
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 24, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130313003109A
- Case key
- 86418
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's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Findings · 2
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 pilot reported that, after a series of uneventful touch-and-go landings, he decided to perform a full stop landing. As he transitioned from the landing to the ground roll, he applied pressure to the foot brakes, and the airplane swerved and departed the runway. The left wing impacted the ground and was substantially damaged along with the aft fuselage structure. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after a series of uneventful touch-and-go landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he decided to perform a full stop landing. As he transitioned from the landing to ground roll, he applied pressure to the foot brakes, and the airplane swerved and departed the runway. The left wing made contact with the ground, and was substantially damaged along with the aft fuselage structure. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1544K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4271
- Airframe hours
- 2,832
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2013 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- KMAE · Madera, CA
- Destination
- KMAE · Madera, CA
- Airport
- KMAE · Madera, runway 30, 5,545 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 23, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 667 total · 1 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- KMAE
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 412 KB in all.
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 N1544K · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.