Luscombe 8E accident near Seldovia, Alaska, July 4, 1984
On July 4, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N1795K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seldovia, Alaska (Seldovia airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Seldovia, Alaska · Seldovia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1795K · registry record · serial 4522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING ON A 2600 FT GRAVEL RWY NESTLED IN THE HILLS WITH VARIABLE WINDS. THE PLT HAD TEMPORARILY TRADED ACFT FOR THIS TRIP AND HAD NOT FLOWN THIS TYPE OF ACFT FOR THE PRECEDING 90 DAY PERIOD. HE NORMALLY FLEW HIS CESSNA 185. HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THIS ARPT AND HAD MADE ONE GO-AROUND BEFORE THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF BEING HIGHAND FAST. THE 2ND APPROACH WAS FLOWN, ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AT 60 MPH AND HE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AT ABOUT 30 FT AGL. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS ABOUT MIDFIELD AND IN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE PLT SAID, THE TAIL KEPT COMING UP. HE THOUGHT A GUST OFTAILWIND HAD ACTED ON THE FLAPS AND UP ELEVATOR TO PUSH THE TAIL OF THE ACFT UP. HE SAID HE SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE CONCERN ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF VARYING WINDS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 575 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 468 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 1983; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC84LA111.