Luscombe 8E accident near Napoleon, North Dakota, July 4, 1992
On July 4, 1992 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N2264K, was destroyed in an accident near Napoleon, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ABOVE A STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1992 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Napoleon, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N2264K · registry record · serial 4991
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT GAVE AIRPORT BYSTANDERS RIDES IN HIS NEWLY PURCHASED AIRPLANE. WITNESSES' DESCRIPTION OF THE FINAL MANEUVER ARE CONSISTENT WITH ENTRY FOR A LOOP OR IMMELMAN. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO THE INVERTED POSITION, FELL OUT OF THE MANEUVER, AND TURNED TWICE COUNTERCLOCKWISE BEFORE GROUND COLLISION.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during maneuvering
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 563 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,250 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, June 22, 1992; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: ND45 at 10:00 pm
- Destination: ND45
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°C, dew point 50°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from BIS, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI92LA196.