Luscombe 8-F accident near Chapin, Iowa, December 11, 1991
On December 11, 1991 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Luscombe 8-F, registered N1871B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chapin, Iowa. 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
FAILED CONNECTING ROD WHICH RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1991 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Chapin, Iowa
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8-F · all 8-Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1871B · registry record · serial 6298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN ENGINE VIBRATION WAS NOTICED BY THE PILOT JUST PRIOR TO A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A RURAL ROAD. DURING THE LANDING THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, CONTACTED A SNOW DRIFT AND NOSED OVER. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED A FAILED CONNECTING ROD HAD RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE.
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: 193 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 286 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1991; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCW Mason City IA at 6:35 pm
- Destination: HPT Hampton IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MCW, 15 miles away
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.