Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8F accident near Frenchville, Maine, May 9, 2023
On May 9, 2023 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1948 Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8F, registered N1885B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Frenchville, Maine (Northern Aroostook Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2023 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Frenchville, Maine · Northern Aroostook Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8F, built 1948 · all LUSCOMBE 8Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1885B · registry record · serial 6312
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that after making a 3-point landing on the airport’s paved runway a gust of wind, “turned [the airplane] towards a ditch.” The pilot pressed on the brakes “hard” to prevent going into the ditch and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 302 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: December 11, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,784.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 1,203 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ME19 Clayton Lake ME at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from FVE
Weather report (METAR): KFVE 091453Z AUTO 32014G22KT 10SM FEW050 OVC065 07/M07 A2993 RMK AO2 PK WND 33028/1402 SLP140 T00721067 53009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA23LA226.