Luscombe 8C accident near Galveston, Texas, April 16, 2000
On April 16, 2000 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8C, registered N25270, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galveston, Texas (Scholes Feild airport). 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
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in the pilot attempting to takeoff with the elevator and ailerons locked by the passenger side seatbelt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2000 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Galveston, Texas · Scholes Feild · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8C · all 8Cs on the register
- Registration
- N25270 · no longer on the register · serial 1177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted to takeoff in the tailwheel equipped airplane with the co-pilot's seatbelt wrapped around the co-pilot's flight control. After the airplane became airborne, the pilot reduced the engine power and attempted to land on the runway. The airplane impacted the runway with the tail wheel and the right main landing gear first. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing impacted the ground. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed down.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLS at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from GLS
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.