Landing Approach
The pilot stated that he was landing on a 1500-foot long grass runway. During the approach, to avoid glider operations, he kept too much airspeed and subsequently landed long on the grass, which he described as freshly cut.
Braking and Steering Attempt
The pilot noted that Luscombes have notoriously bad brakes and they did not slow him down sufficiently after touchdown. As no airplanes were at the end of the runway, he opted to try to steer to the left.
Landing Gear Collapse
The right landing gear collapsed at about 15-20 miles per hour.
Witness Observations
Witnesses observed that the airplane failed to slow down and ground-looped beyond the end of the runway.