Luscombe 8E accident near Meeker, Colorado, April 19, 2026
On April 19, 2026 at about 4:40 pm local time, a 1946 Luscombe 8E, registered N1398K, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Meeker, Colorado (Private 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inability to maintain climb performance and clearance from terrain due to the airplane’s encounter with windshear during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2026 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Meeker, Colorado · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E NO SERIES, built 1946 · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1398K · registry record · serial 4125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was attempting to depart from a remote 2,040 ft long airstrip. During the initial climb, the airplane encountered windshear, and the pilot noticed that the vertical speed indicator depicted a decreasing climb rate. The pilot determined that the airplane was unable to out climb the terrain due to the windshear and opted for a straight-ahead forced landing. The airplane landed in a three-point configuration in tall, thick sagebrush and eventually nosed over, coming to rest inverted. Both wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Evacuation during post (impact)
- Windshear or thunderstorm during takeoff defining event
- Windshear or thunderstorm during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 732 hours in all; 433 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 660 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 5, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,425.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2025; 127 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc. O-200-A (piston); 3,633 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Meeker CO at 4:40 pm
- Destination: KGJT Grand Junction CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway priv, 2,040 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KEEO, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KEEO 191653Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/M11 A3024 RMK AO2 SLP215 T01171111
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 1, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN26LA169.