Luscombe 8F accident near Wellsville, Kansas, November 5, 2006
On November 5, 2006 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8F, registered N26324, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wellsville, Kansas. 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
A loss of engine power due to the ingestion of the number 2 intake valve into its cylinder. Contributing factors included the pilot allowing the airspeed and altitude to drop, making a safe landing not possible.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2006 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wellsville, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8F · all 8Fs on the register
- Registration
- N26324 · registry record · serial 6728
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said the engine made a loud "bang" approximately 10 minutes into the flight and lost power. The airplane was vibrating, so the pilot secured the engine and shut off the fuel supply. The pilot declared an emergency, then attempted to land in a bean field. The airplane had "insufficient speed and altitude" to clear a tree line and struck the trees. Engine disassembly revealed the number 2 intake valve had been completely "swallowed" into the cylinder. The engine had accrued 1,700.49 hours since overhaul. The rated time-between-overhaul for the Continental C-90-12F engine is 1,800 hours.
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: 465 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 403 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,732 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2005; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWI Ottawa KS at 4:50 pm
- Destination: K34 Gardner KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from IXD
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.