Luscombe 8A accident near Delavan, Wisconsin, October 15, 1982
On October 15, 1982 at about 6:12 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N1094K, was destroyed in an accident near Delavan, Wisconsin (Lake Lawn airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1982 · about 6:12 pm local time
- Place
- Delavan, Wisconsin · Lake Lawn · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N1094K · no longer on the register · serial 3821
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLYING FOR ABOUT 45 MIN WHEN IT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. HE REPORTED THAT THE PILOT MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY, AS IF HE WAS CHECKING THE WIND FOR LANDING. HE SAW THE PILOT START TO CLIMB AND ENTER A LEFT TURN, BUT DID NOT SEE THE PLANE CRASH. TWO OTHER WITNESSES ALSO SAW THE PLANE START TO CLIMB AND TURN. ONE OF THE WITNESSES SAW THE PLANE GO INTO A STEEP BANK AND THEN SUDDENLY GO STRAIGHT DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED, NOSE DOWN, IN A CORN FIELD.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,120 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-I (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C-59 Delavan WI at 12:45 pm
- Destination: C-59 Delavan WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,400 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 136°F (58°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N1094K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.