Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during approach. A factor was windshear.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On July 4, 2004, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Luscombe 8F, N803B, was substantially damaged while landing at Aeroflex-Andover Airport (12N), Andover, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that she was on final approach for the turf runway parallel to runway 21; a 1,981-foot-long, 150-foot-wide runway. As the airplane crossed the runway threshold, it encountered a severe downdraft. Before the pilot could arrest the descent, the airplane impacted the runway and came to rest inverted. The pilot further stated the prevailing winds were from the east, over a ridgeline, which caused downdrafts.
The reported wind at an airport approximately 15 miles northeast of the accident site, at 1653, was from 150 degrees at 7 knots, varying between 120 degrees and 210 degrees.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC04CA159