Luscombe 8E accident near Picayune, Mississippi, October 15, 1995
On October 15, 1995 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N71590, was substantially damaged in an accident near Picayune, Mississippi (Picayune airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a worn left magneto distributor gear, which resulted in a loss of engine power; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1995 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Picayune, Mississippi · Picayune · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N71590 · no longer on the register · serial 3017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An ear witness heard the aircraft crash shortly after departure from runway 23. The airplane was found about 125 yards southwest of the departure end of runway 23. An examination revealed evidence that the airplane had impacted in a right wing down and nose down attitude. During a postaccident examination and disassembly of the engine, the left magneto was found to be damaged. About 50 percent of the gear teeth were sheared off of the left magneto distributor rotor gear.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,329 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1995; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PCU at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:47 pm from GPT, 34 miles away
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.
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.