Luscombe 8 accident near Conway, Arkansas, November 12, 2016
On November 12, 2016 at about 2:25 pm local time, a 1947 Luscombe 8, registered N2604K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Conway, Arkansas (Poe'S 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 2016 · about 2:25 pm local time
- Place
- Conway, Arkansas · Poe'S · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8 E, built 1947 · all 8s on the register
- Registration
- N2604K · registry record · serial 5331
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he landed on the turf runway, and the airplane began to drift left. He made a right rudder pedal input that did not counter the left drift, and he adjusted his foot on the right rudder pedal so that he could apply differential braking. However, he reported that "my shoe was caught between the rudder pedal and the sheet metal fairing on the floorboard that covers the rudder pedal bell cranks," which prevented him from applying differential braking. The airplane exited the runway to the left and ground looped, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing spar and right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,580 hours in all; 1,489 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,437 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 5, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,593 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 2,598 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORK North Little Rock AR at 4:15 pm
- Destination: AR88 Conway AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 2,700 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 3:58 pm from KLRF, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 GAA17CA066.