Accident Details
On July 17, 2016, about 0850 Pacific daylight time, a Luscombe 8A, registration N2759K, nosed over during a precautionary landing at Minden-Tahoe Airport (MEV), Minden, Nevada. The pilot/owner was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot and a passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The local flight originated from MEV at 0810. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed.
Pilot's Account
The pilot reported hearing a noise during takeoff rotation that seemed to come from the landing gear. After becoming airborne, the passenger observed the right wheel, including the axle assembly, hanging sideways from the brake cable. The pilot performed a low pass so ground personnel could confirm the issue and requested emergency equipment. For approximately 40 minutes, the pilot circled the airport until emergency equipment was in place. The pilot chose to land on a grassy area between runway 34 and taxiway alpha. During landing, the pilot touched down on the left wheel first, holding the right side of the airplane off the ground as long as possible. The right gear leg skidded for about 50 feet before digging in, causing the airplane to cartwheel onto its back.
Post-Crash Investigation
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector found that the right main gear leg failed at the axle cluster. Internal corrosion was observed within the axle cluster, and the upper portion of the leg was not sealed. The failed cluster bore current Univair aircraft corporation part numbers and nomenclature. The Type Certificate holder provided a copy of Service Recommendation (SR) #4, issued on January 22, 1996. The SR aimed to facilitate annual inspection of Luscombe landing gear, noting that corrosion damage within 2 inches above the axle weldment had led to main landing gear leg failures. It included instructions to examine for compromised structure and a solution: drilling a hole to allow moisture drainage and drying airflow to minimize corrosion. The owner stated SR #4 had not been accomplished on this airplane; compliance was not required by federal regulations.