Luscombe 8A accident near Maquoketa, Iowa, August 30, 2003
On August 30, 2003 at about 12:46 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N1954B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maquoketa, Iowa (Maquoketa Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive use of the brake system, which resulted in directional control not being maintained during the landing. A factor to the accident was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2003 · about 12:46 pm local time
- Place
- Maquoketa, Iowa · Maquoketa Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N1954B · no longer on the register · serial 6381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over while landing on runway 33. The pilot reported the airplane "touched down smoothly on the [main landing gear]" and he held some forward control stick to keep the main landing gear on the runway. The pilot reported that during the landing rollout the airplane began to drift to the left and he "applied right brake" to correct the drift. The pilot stated that the airplane then "swerved to the right" and he "applied left brake without releasing the [right brake]." The airplane immediately nosed over on the runway centerline. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures during the accident flight. The local winds were recorded as 040 degrees true at 8 knots.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 11, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 2003; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3H5 Erie IL at 7:00 am
- Destination: OQW Maquoketa IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 12:48 pm from DBQ, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.