Luscombe 8 accident near Elkhart, Indiana, January 2, 2013
On January 2, 2013 at about 4:25 pm local time, a 1948 Luscombe 8, registered N707HL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Elkhart, Indiana (Mishawaka Pilots Club Airport). It was a personal 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 improper flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2013 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Elkhart, Indiana · Mishawaka Pilots Club Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8 F, built 1948 · all 8s on the register
- Registration
- N707HL · no longer on the register · serial 6110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the airplane when it touched down on the left main landing gear and bounced. The pilot attempted to recover from the bounce by reducing pitch so that the main landing gear wheels would touch down onto the runway surface, but he inadvertently applied too much pitch control input and also applied left rudder control input. The airplane then veered left off the runway and nosed-over when it impacted an area of plowed snow. The pilot reported no 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 925 hours in all; 465 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 925 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 14, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,938 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3C1 Elkhart IN at 3:50 pm
- Destination: 3C1 Elkhart IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,243 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from EKM, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on December 19, 2013. 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 |
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.