Luscombe 8A accident near Madison, Indiana, July 16, 1984
On July 16, 1984 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N1187B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Indiana (Madison Mun. 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 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
- July 16, 1984 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Indiana · Madison Mun. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N1187B · registry record · serial 5814
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT HE PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT AND DID AN ENGINE RUN-UP BEFORE TAKEOFF. DURING CLIMBOUT, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 150 FEET THE PLT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN TREES. THE PLT STATED THAT HE USES A MIXTURE OF 100LL AND AUTOMOTIVE GRADE LOW LEAD FUEL. HE DRAINED APPROXIMATELY 4 GALLONS FROM THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT DOES NOT HAVE AN STC FOR THE FUEL. NO PREIMPACT PART MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 665 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 605 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 25, 1983; 116 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A658F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.