Luscombe LL-8-E accident near Bellaire, Michigan, October 31, 2001
On October 31, 2001 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Luscombe LL-8-E, registered N1243K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bellaire, Michigan (Antrim County 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 unsuitable terrain for landing selected by the pilot. A factor was the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 2001 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bellaire, Michigan · Antrim County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe LL-8-E
- Registration
- N1243K · no longer on the register · serial 3970
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The floatplane nosed over during landing on grass. The pilot reported he landed the airplane with a slight nose high attitude, using a small amount of power to skid the floats onto the grass at 50 mph. He reported that, "After a measured run out distance of 43' the floats settled thru the grass into the soft sand. At 54' run out distance, [the] floats dug into sand and caused airplane to flip over, upside down." The pilot reported he had been landing floatplanes on grass for 20 years.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 31,500 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 20, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,968 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 2001; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,058 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A41 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lake Ellsworth MI at 3:40 pm
- Destination: ACB Bellaire MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:41 pm from ACB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.