On June 3, 1988, a Luscombe 8E (registration N71646) was involved in an aviation accident near Grantsville, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted from encountering a tailwind and/or downdraft due to freeway elevation, leading to loss of control. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A light aircraft crashed shortly after departing a gravel road near a truck stop, killing a young child. The pilot cited airspeed loss due to wind conditions and high density altitude.
What happened
The aircraft was one of three that had landed on a gravel road near a truck stop where the occupants had breakfast. During departure, the first two aircraft took off without incident. Witnesses reported that when the third aircraft N71646 took off, the pilot began a left turn at about 75 feet above ground level, then the aircraft began losing altitude. The pilot stated the aircraft encountered enough tailwind and/or downdraft due to freeway elevation to cause loss of airspeed. Subsequently, the aircraft descended and crashed on a southerly heading. One occupant was a three-and-a-half-year-old child, which was being held on his mother's lap when the aircraft took off. He received a fatal head injury during the occurrence. The pilot indicated the wind was from the north or northeast at 10 to 15 knots, but said the windsock on a nearby building was hanging limp. Density altitude was approximately 6400 feet. The crash resulted in 1 fatal injury.
Findings
Contributing factors included the pilot's decision to operate in high density altitude conditions and encounter with turbulent air near elevated infrastructure.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted from encountering a tailwind and/or downdraft due to freeway elevation, leading to loss of control.