Luscombe 8A accident near Morganton, North Carolina, December 12, 1986
On December 12, 1986 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N71966, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morganton, North Carolina (Lenoir-Morganton 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1986 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Morganton, North Carolina · Lenoir-Morganton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N71966 · no longer on the register · serial 3393
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT REPTD DOING LCL FLYING FOR ABOUT ONE HR AFTER DEPT FROM PVT GRASS STRIP. MADE APCH AND LDG AT MORGANTON-LENOIR APT. ON TOUCHDOWN PLT REPTD BOUNCING, AND BEING UNABLE TO RECOVER BEFORE LT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND LT WING DRAGGED. PLT STATED THAT HE FELT THAT HE MISSED THE LEFT WHEEL BRAKE PEDAL WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER FROM RIGHT SWERVE.
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
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 917 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1986; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NC52 Morganton NC
- Destination: MRN Morganton NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from HKY
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.
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.