Luscombe T-8F accident near Watkins, Colorado, March 31, 1986
On March 31, 1986 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Luscombe T-8F, registered N1593B, was destroyed in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Aurora airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1986 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Aurora · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe T-8F · all T-8Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1593B · no longer on the register · serial 6220
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS AT 500 FT AGL A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER IN THE REAR SEAT PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY LANDING WHILE THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE LANDING WAS MADE ON OPEN ROLLING TERRAIN WITH A 15 KT GUSTING TO 20 KT TAILWIND. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED/MUSHED DURING THE LANDING AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CO-PLT WAS NOT CHECKED OUT IN THE ACFT. HIS RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WAS IN LARGE TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE FAILED TO DISCLOSE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,560 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 241 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,077 as pilot in command; 1,186 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,095 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1986; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O1V Aurora CO at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from DEN, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 DEN86LA108.