Luscombe 8E accident near Atchison, Kansas, December 17, 2011
On December 17, 2011 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N71911, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Atchison, Kansas (Amelia Earhart 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 pilot's inadequate directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2011 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Atchison, Kansas · Amelia Earhart Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N71911 · no longer on the register · serial 3338
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the airplane swerved to the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to regain directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane by applying left aileron, right rudder, and wheel brake to no avail. The airplane departed the edge of the runway into an area of soft ground and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,375 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,355 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 28, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,859 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K34 Garder KS at 6:50 pm
- Destination: K59 Atchison KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,000 ft by 48 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from STJ, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 2, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 1, Fuselage Damage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.