Luscombe

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1030 Eastern time during an apparent forced landing in a pond shortly after takeoff. The solo commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

At about 1500 Pacific time, a Luscombe 8E collided with a fence and crashed while approaching to land at Spanaway Airport. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger received minor injuries. The pilot reported that just before touchdown the airplanes tail wheel caught the top of a chain link fence, causing the airplane to collide with terrain and nose over. The pilot stated he might have been a little low on his final approach….

At about 1611 Pacific time, a Luscombe T-8F hit the ground during an attempted go-around after the pilot aborted landing at Gillespie Field. Neither pilot on board was injured. Both pilots possessed flight instructor certificates. The accident pilot said his son, the other pilot, had performed three takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern. During rollout on the fourth landing, the accident pilot pulled the control stick aft to lower the tailwheel. The airplane veered left, directional control was lost, and the airplane collided with a taxiway sign. Thereafter, the pilot applied full power to go around. The airplane veered right, exited the right side of the runway, and became airborne….

At 09:45 CST, a Luscombe 8A crashed after striking utility wires near Orleans. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was killed. No preexisting anomalies were detected in the airplane or engine. The left wing strut was severed and wire was found wrapped around the aircraft fuselage. In a telephone interview, a friend of the pilot stated that the pilot would occasionally fly over his house when he was in town. He also stated that on the date of the accident he heard the aircraft flying in the vicinity of his house. He said the engine sounded normal until it just stopped….

At 14:00 CDT, a Luscombe 8C crashed while attempting an aborted takeoff from Scholes Field Airport. The pilot was not injured. Investigators determined the pilot departed runway 17 with the co-pilots seatbelt wrapped around the co-pilots flight control. The pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway but the right main landing gear collapsed, damaging the right wing. Then the left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over….

At 16:48 central time, a Luscombe 8A crashed on approach to runway 31R at Des Moines International Airport, killing the pilot. The pilot was being vectored for a landing on runway 31L when he asked if he could use 31R. The tower controller told the pilot to keep the turn tight and asked the pilot if he could turn base from where he was. The pilot said that he could. A witness on the ground said the airplane made a tight turn in toward the runway and immediately turned to final with a bank angle approaching 90 degrees. The witness said that at impact the airplanes wings were perpendicular to the ground and the nose was pitched down approximately 20 degrees. A Boeing 737 had landed on runway…

At 13:07 eastern time, a Luscombe 8A departed the runway during the takeoff run at Clearview Airpark and was damaged when it struck a hangar. The pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The owner said he had recently purchased the airplane and needed a tailwheel checkout. The instructor said the owners handling of the airplane and use of brakes led him to believe the owner could make the takeoff. After the start of the takeoff roll, the airplane initially drifted right, and departed the right side of the 30-foot-wide runway. However, after running parallel to the runway for about 200 feet, it then crossed over the runway to the left and continued for an additional 225 feet, heading ab…

At 1631 eastern time, a Luscombe LL-8-E lost elevator control and crashed in Olar, killing the pilot and passenger. Witnesses said the airplane was descending rapidly in a nose-down attitude. Examination of the flight controls found the elevator control cable attachment fitting separated from the elevator push/pull control rod. The attachment bolt and nut were not located….