No fatalities

15 Oct 2016: LUSCOMBE 8 E — Wilmington, OH

Wilmington, OH, United States

On 15 Oct 2016, a LUSCOMBE 8 E was involved in an aviation accident near Wilmington, OH. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion. 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 reported that after touchdown, the tailwheel airplane bounced and porpoised, veered left, exited the runway, became airborne again, and contacted terrain. No mechanical issues were noted.

Event Details

A pilot reported an accident involving a tailwheel-equipped airplane during landing. The incident occurred after initial touchdown when the airplane bounced and "floated" while the pilot held the stick back. During the second touchdown, the airplane began to porpoise as the pilot continued to hold the stick back. The airplane subsequently veered left, and the pilot attempted to correct with rudder inputs.

Pilot Report

According to the pilot, the airplane exited the left side of the runway and encountered a grassy incline, which caused it to become airborne. The pilot applied full throttle, but the airplane did not gain altitude. Seeing trees ahead, the pilot elected to land the airplane. Upon contacting the ground, the airplane rolled forward and came to rest in a nose-down attitude.

Findings

The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. No other factors were identified by the source.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilotLanding flare — Not attained/maintained