No fatalities

3 Nov 2012: LUSCOMBE 8E — S & S AERO WORKS LLC — West Bend, WI

West Bend, WI, United States

On 3 Nov 2012, a LUSCOMBE 8E operated by S & S AERO WORKS LLC was involved in an aviation accident near West Bend, WI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot‘s failure to maintain clearance from power lines at the end of the short runway, which resulted in an aborted takeoff and subsequent nose-over of the airplane. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot aborted a takeoff from a 1,500-foot grass runway after failing to clear power lines, landing in a plowed field where the airplane nosed over, causing damage.

Incident Details

The pilot departed from a 1,500-foot-long grass runway in calm wind conditions. During the takeoff, the airplane was unable to gain enough altitude to clear power lines located at the end of the runway. The pilot aborted the takeoff and landed in a plowed field near the departure end of the runway. Upon landing, the airplane nosed over.

Aircraft Damage

The nosed-over landing resulted in damage to the vertical stabilizer, the right wing tip, both main landing gear, and the propeller.

Pilot Statement

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane or engine. He stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had waited for better wind conditions and/or extended the takeoff roll to gain additional airspeed.

Contributing factors

PilotTakeoff distance — Not attained/maintained