Luscombe 8 accident near Pontiac, Michigan, August 23, 2015
On August 23, 2015 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 1946 Luscombe 8, registered N1406K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland County International 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 failure to maintain airplane control while landing with a left quartering tailwind. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inability to conduct a go-around because of a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2015 · about 2:15 pm local time · cases in 2015
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland County International · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8 E, built 1946 · all 8s on the register
- Registration
- N1406K · no longer on the register · serial 4133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, after conducting a personal flight and while landing, the airplane started to "weathervane" into the wind; a 6-knot quartering tailwind existed at the time of the accident. The pilot noted that the wind favored the other runway but that it was shut due to an airshow. The pilot applied full right rudder and right brake but was unable to regain control of the airplane. The pilot added power to conduct a go-around, but the engine did not respond. The airplane skidded off the runway, struck a runway light, and then came to rest on its nose. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine revealed no anomalies. During examination of the fuel system, yellow-tinted fuel was found inside of the carburetor. Fuel was found in both fuel tanks. The left wing fuel tank contained brown water stains and evidence of corrosion. The fuel sending unit was tarnished, and the fuel tank contained contaminants of unknown origin. The analysis of the chemical composition of the fuel sample was consistent with aviation gasoline. Water content analysis revealed a water concentration in the fuel sample of 102 (plus or minus 20) ug/g. It could not be determined what role the contaminants and water played in the engine's failure to attain full power during the go-around attempt. However, weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power. Thus, it is likely that carburetor ice accumulated during the landing because the engine would have been at idle power, which caused the engine to lose power.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Fuel related during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
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 › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,870 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,966 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 24, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5M6 Gladwin MI at 12:30 pm
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,676 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KPTK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on February 23, 2016. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Carburetor Icing Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Examination of Avgas - Final Report | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Marvel Schebler Carburetor Examination Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1406K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1406K: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Luscombe 8 Silvaire 1,420 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Luscombe 1,472 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-200-A 297 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Oakland County International · nearest airport
- Sugar Springs Airpark · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Michigan 2,107 since 1982 · 230 in the last ten years
- Michigan 7,236 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N1406K 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN15LA381.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.