Summary
On April 06, 2008, a Luscombe 8A (N2209K) was involved in an accident near Lincoln, ME. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury, with 1 person uninjured out of 2 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot-rated-passenger's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
The pilot/owner of the Luscombe 8A stated that he and a friend, who was a pilot-rated-passenger, intended to practice takeoffs and landings in an effort to gain proficiency on wheels after a long ski season. The pilot-rated-passenger was a flight instructor; however, the pilot was not receiving instruction. In addition, the pilot-rated-passenger did not have any flight experience in the make and model airplane. The pilot completed a successful takeoff and landing on runway 17, and then let the pilot-rated-passenger attempt the same. As the pilot-rated-passenger initiated a takeoff roll on runway 17, the airplane veered left, right, left, and right again.
This accident is documented in NTSB report NYC08CA153. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N2209K.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot-rated-passenger's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot/owner of the Luscombe 8A stated that he and a friend, who was a pilot-rated-passenger, intended to practice takeoffs and landings in an effort to gain proficiency on wheels after a long ski season. The pilot-rated-passenger was a flight instructor; however, the pilot was not receiving instruction. In addition, the pilot-rated-passenger did not have any flight experience in the make and model airplane. The pilot completed a successful takeoff and landing on runway 17, and then let the pilot-rated-passenger attempt the same. As the pilot-rated-passenger initiated a takeoff roll on runway 17, the airplane veered left, right, left, and right again. The pilot attempted to correct the upset, but the airplane traveled off the right side of the runway, into snow-covered grass, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the underside fuselage. The examination did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilots report any. The pilot stated that at the time of the accident, the wind was from 150 degrees at 5 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC08CA153