On February 16, 2005, a Luscombe 8A (registration N39057) was involved in an aviation accident near Brookhaven, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the airplane ground looping. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported that during landing in gusting winds, a gust caused the airplane to balloon, then ground-loop upon touchdown, resulting in damage. No mechanical issues were noted.
Incident Overview
A pilot reported an accident during a landing attempt after discontinuing a flight due to adverse weather. According to the pilot's account, the aircraft had just taken off when the pilot encountered bad weather and decided to return. By the time the airplane was on approach, weather conditions had worsened, with gusting winds.
Landing Sequence
As the airplane touched down, a gust of wind caused it to balloon back into the air. When the airplane descended again, it ground-looped—a sudden uncontrolled turn on the ground—and sustained damage. The pilot noted that there had been no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that the decision to discontinue the flight was based on the bad weather encountered after takeoff. Upon returning, the deteriorating conditions and gusty winds were factors in the landing incident. The pilot attributed the ballooning and subsequent ground loop to a wind gust that affected the airplane during the landing flare.