Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nampa, Idaho 83687
Friday, August 27, 2004 14:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor at the controls of the aircraft had come to the Nampa Airport with another individual who was in the process of buying the subject aircraft. The purpose of the flight was for the instructor to familiarize himself with the aircraft, so that that he could give instruction to the new owner as they both flew it back to Texas. After flying the aircraft around the local area for a short period, the instructor pilot executed one touch-and-go landing, and then went around the traffic pattern for another. During the landing roll of the second landing, the aircraft started to veer from side to side, and then entered into the pilot called an "aggravated pilot induced oscillation." He therefore applied full aft stick in order to get more tail wheel authority. According to this pilot, as he pulled the stick aft, he "inadvertently added left aileron," which raised the right wing. At that point in the landing sequence, the aircraft began to veer off the right side of the runway, and the pilot applied full left rudder, significant left brake, and full power. These inputs were not sufficient to straighten the track of the aircraft, which departed the right side of the runway. Soon after departing the runway, the aircraft encountered soft terrain, and the left main gear collapsed. In a telephone conversation with the NTSB, the pilot who had been at the controls stated that he had been "slow to recognize" the situation that lead to the loss of control. During the investigation it was determined that this pilot's total previous experience in a Luscombe was one hour.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors include the pilot's very low total time in this make and model aircraft (one hour), and the soft terrain the aircraft encountered along the side of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Nampa
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83687
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433453N
Event Location Longitude 1163130W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16790
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2004 11:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1983B
NTSB Number SEA04CA174
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 6410
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ronald G. Hanks
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Ronald G. Hanks
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Meridian
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code S67
Departure City Nampa
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code S67
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 16 2004 1:52PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --