Luscombe 8A accident near Peoria, Illinois, June 9, 1994
On June 9, 1994 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N72009, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peoria, Illinois (Mt. Hawley 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 misjudged landing flare. A factor associated with the accident is the pilot allowing the airplane to descend at an excessive rate.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1994 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Peoria, Illinois · Mt. Hawley
- 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
- N72009 · registry record · serial 3436
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED A NORMAL APPROACH TO LANDING UNTIL HE BEGAN TO FLARE THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND TOO RAPIDLY AND LANDED HARD. THE PILOT AND AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT DISCOVERED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALY OR FLIGHT CONTROL MALFUNCTION.
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: 313 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 313 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,198 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1993; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GBG Galesburg IL at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:30 pm
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.