Luscombe 8E accident near Brush, Colorado, January 27, 2025
On January 27, 2025 at about 10:43 pm local time, a 1946 Luscombe 8E, registered N1739K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Brush, Colorado (Brush Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the left main landing gear forward strut.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2025 · about 10:43 pm local time
- Place
- Brush, Colorado · Brush Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E, built 1946 · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1739K · registry record · serial 4466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane touched down on all 3 landing gear wheels. During the landing roll at about 30 to 35 miles per hour, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest upright on its nose and left wing and the fuselage and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported the winds were calm during the landing. Postaccident examination by the airplane owner revealed the left main landing gear strut was fractured, and the rear strut was bent aft.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 506.8 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 16.8 in the last 90 days; 10.8 in the last 30 days; 506.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2023
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,329.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 2024
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAR Laramie WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from KFMM, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFMM 272255Z AUTO 25007KT 10SM CLR 07/M04 A3004 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
PG 2 Photograph 1 – Accident Airplane
PG 3 Photograph 2 – Accident airplane
PG 4 Photograph 3 – Left main landing gear after recoveryThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 27, 2025. 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | 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.