Luscombe 8E accident near Longmont, Colorado, June 9, 2001
On June 9, 2001 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N1614K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Longmont, Colorado (Vance Brand airport). It was an instructional 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing. A contributing factor was the tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2001 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Longmont, Colorado · Vance Brand · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1614K · no longer on the register · serial 4341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning from a student solo cross-country flight. The airplane landed and as soon as the wheels touched down, it veered off the left side of the runway and crossed the median, which was covered with prairie dog holes. The right main landing gear was torn off, and there were wrinkles in the skin and gear box. Recorded wind at a nearby airport was from 110 degrees at 12 knots. For the landing on runway 29, this resulted in a direct 12 knot tailwind.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,003 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 2001; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SYF St. Francis KS at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 2V2 Longmont CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 4,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from BJC, 20 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.
Other NTSB records under N1614K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.