Luscombe 8 accident near Manvel, Texas, December 10, 2020
On December 10, 2020 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1947 Luscombe 8, registered N2238K, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Manvel, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during his attempted landing and his loss of situational awareness that led to him to misidentify a pipeline field for the landing airpark.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2020 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Manvel, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8 A, built 1947 · all 8s on the register
- Registration
- N2238K · no longer on the register · serial 4965
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported that he saw the airplane takeoff from the airpark and fly a left traffic pattern. The airplane disappeared behind a tree line after lining up on a pipeline easement northeast of the airport. The witness then reported a bright flash from a power line, and he responded to the accident scene. He observed the airplane resting inverted in the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the forward fuselage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site. The inspector reported that the airplane struck a set of power lines and crashed in a pipeline field about seven-tenths of a mile from the airpark. The owner of the property adjacent to the field told the inspector that he witnessed the airplane hit the power lines and that the airplane appeared to be attempting to land in the field. The witness reported that since the accident he has spoken with the pilot on multiple occasions and the pilot has no memory of the crash or the events leading to the accident. However, in his statement to the FAA inspector, the witness reported the pilot telling him several times that he was on final approach to the runway when he hit the power lines.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Situational awareness › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, remote
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3T2 Manvel TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
Weather report (METAR): KLVJ 100653Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 09/07 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP192 T00940067
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on August 31, 2021. 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 Completed by Witness | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Map of Accident Site Location Versus the Airport Runway | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Site Photograph | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector's Statement | 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.