Luscombe 8E accident near Farrar, Missouri, February 15, 1992
On February 15, 1992 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N1778K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farrar, Missouri. 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
PREMATURE LIFTOFF AND POOR PLANNING BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE TAILWIND AND MISJUDGED COMPENSATION FOR IT ALONG WITH THE ROUGH UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1992 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Farrar, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1778K · no longer on the register · serial 4505
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT OBTAINED FUEL FROM A LOCAL FARMER, REFUELED THE AIRPLANE AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF. DURING TAKEOFF ON THE ROUGH TERRAIN WITH A TAILWIND, THE AIRPLANE BECAME PREMATURELY AIRBORNE. THE LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF WHEN THE AIRPLANE SETTLED BACK TO THE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP AT THE BOTTOM OF A HILL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,672 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,341 as pilot in command; 1,079 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1991; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: K02 Perryville MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
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.