Luscombe 8E accident near Montague, Michigan, May 30, 1998
On May 30, 1998 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N1968K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montague, Michigan (Ottiger Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper use of carburetor heat which resulted in the formation of carburetor ice and the loss of engine power. Factors to the accident were the carburetor icing conditions and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1998 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Montague, Michigan · Ottiger Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1968K · registry record · serial 4695
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was approximately 60' above ground level (agl) after takeoff when the engine lost power. The pilot stated that he pitched the nose forward and attempted to troubleshoot the loss of engine power. The pilot stated that the engine gained partial power, but then lost engine power again almost immediately. The aircraft struck some tree tops, approximately 50' agl, and then subsequently impacted the ground. Post accident investigation of the aircraft showed no anomalies with the engine, fuel related systems, and ignition systems. A weather observation, taken from Muskegon County Airport at 0913, indicated that the ambient temperature was 64-degrees Fahrenheit and the dew point temperature was 54-degrees Fahrenheit. According to the table 'Conditions Known Favorable For Carburetor Icing,' the above noted temperatures were favorable for moderate carburetor icing.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 467 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 968 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1998; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT
- Destination: MKG Muskegon MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,600 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:13 pm from MKG, 18 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI98LA183.