Luscombe 8E accident near Flushing, Michigan, March 14, 1991
On March 14, 1991 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N1406K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flushing, Michigan (Dalton 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AND NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN A GROUND LOOP. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS WHICH EXISTED AT THE TIME.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1991 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Flushing, Michigan · Dalton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1406K · no longer on the register · serial 4133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A SINGLE ENGINED TAILWHEEL AIRPLANE DID NOT ATTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT WHILE PERFORMING A CROSSWIND LANDING IN GUSTY CONDITIONS. AIRPLANE CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND THE AIRPLANE GROUNDLOOPED, COLLAPSING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR.
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
- Flight time: 1,922 hours in all; 1,842 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,890 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,740 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 035° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N1406K 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.