Luscombe 8A accident near Greeley, Colorado, October 3, 2008
On October 3, 2008 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N25342, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley/Weld County Airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll resulting in a ground loop. Contributing to the accident was the lack of remedial action from the flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2008 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley/Weld County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N25342 · no longer on the register · serial 1218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was performing a touch-and-go landing to runway 34 in partial completion of a flight review. During the landing roll, the airplane ground looped to the left. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or failures with the airplane or its systems prior to the accident. The flight instructor took no action during the ground loop.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,422 hours in all; 1,019 in this make and model; 1,352 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 11, 2005
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 587 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 537 as pilot in command; 6 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 5, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,342.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,296 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EIK Erie CO at 3:45 pm
- Destination: EIK Erie CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 10,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from KGXY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N25342 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.