Luscombe SL8 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, December 4, 1992
On December 4, 1992 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Luscombe SL8, registered N71585, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lake Hood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMANDS IMPROPER TAXI SPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 1992 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lake Hood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe SL8
- Registration
- N71585 · no longer on the register · serial 3012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE PERFORMING A WIDE SWEEPING LEFT TAXI TURN TOWARD THE SHORELINE, HE OBSERVED THAT HIS RATE OF CLOSURE WITH THE SHORELINE WAS HIGHER THAN DESIRED. HIS APPLICATION OF POWER TO MAKE THE RUDDER MORE EFFECTIVE ON THE ICE TO MANEUVER AWAY FROM THE SHORELINE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE NOSE OF THE LUSCOMBE COLLIDED WITH THE RUDDER AND STABILIZER SECTION OF AN UNOCCUPIED CESSNA 207 THAT WAS BEACHED JUST ABOVE THE SHORELINE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 775 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,949 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 1992; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Cont A-65-8-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N71585 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.