Luscombe 8-A accident near Baytown, Texas, April 7, 1990
On April 7, 1990 at about 11:51 pm local time, a Luscombe 8-A, registered N1410K, was destroyed in an accident near Baytown, Texas (Baytown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT STALL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE MANEUVERING AFTER A PARTIAL POWER LOSS DURING INITIAL CLIMB AND A PARTIALLY BLOCKED EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH HAD BEEN INADEQUATELY MAINTAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1990 · about 11:51 pm local time
- Place
- Baytown, Texas · Baytown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8-A · all 8-As on the register
- Registration
- N1410K · no longer on the register · serial 4137
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 13. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE DECREASE ITS CLIMB ANGLE OR LEVEL OFF AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL AND TURN LEFT. THE ANGLE OF BANK STEEPENED UNTIL A POINT ABOUT 120 DEGREES INTO THE TURN. THE AIRPLANE THEN STALLED & ENTERED A STEEP NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LEADING ATTITUDE UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 120 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS. WITNESSES STATED IT APPEARED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER DURING THE TAKEOFF & INITIAL CLIMB. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FLAME TUBE OF THE LEFT MUFFLER HAD SEPARATED & PARTIALLY BLOCKED THE OUTFLOW FROM THE MUFFLER. THIS BLOCKAGE CAUSED BACK PRESSURE IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM EVIDENCED BY SOOTING OF THE EXHAUST STACKS AND PLUGS ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION 11 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND THERE WERE NO SUBSEQUENT ENTRIES. AIRPLANE RECORDS DID NOT INDICATE WHEN THE MUFFLERS HAD LAST BEEN OVERHAULED OR REPLACED. PILOT'S MOST RECENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS ISSUED ON 3/19/79.
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: 474 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,994 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from HOU, 15 miles away
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.