Luscombe 8E accident near Grantsville, Utah, June 3, 1988
On June 3, 1988 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N71646, was destroyed in an accident near Grantsville, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1988 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Grantsville, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N71646 · no longer on the register · serial 3073
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS 1 OF 3 THAT WERE LNDD ON A GRAVEL ROAD NEAR A TRUCK STOP WHERE THE OCCUPANTS HAD BREAKFAST. DRG DEPARTURE, THE 1ST 2 ACFT TOOK OFF WITHOUT INCIDENT. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT WHEN THE 3RD ACFT (N71646) TOOK OFF, THE PLT BEGAN A LEFT TURN AT ABOUT 75' AGL, THEN THE ACFT BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED 'ENOUGH TAILWIND AND/OR DOWNDRAFT (DUE TO FREEWAY ELEVATION) TO CAUSE LOSS OF AIRSPEED.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DSCNDD & CRASHED ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING. ONE OCCUPANT WAS A 3-1/2 YEAR OLD CHILD, WHICH WAS BEING HELD ON HIS MOTHER'S LAP WHEN THE ACFT TOOK OFF. HE RECEIVED A FATAL HEAD INJURY DRG THE OCCURRENCE. THE PLT INDICATED THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH OR NORTHEASTAT 10 TO 15 KTS, BUT SAID THE WINDSOCK (ON A NEARBY BUILDING) WAS HANGING LIMP. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APRX 6400'.
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: 2,876 hours in all; 101 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 2,832 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,831 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1987; 241 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BTF Bountiful UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 am from SLC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.