Luscombe 8 accident near Pottsville, Pennsylvania, July 30, 2018
On July 30, 2018 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1947 Luscombe 8, registered N2022K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Pottsville, Pennsylvania (Schuylkill County/Joe Zerbey 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2018 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pottsville, Pennsylvania · Schuylkill County/Joe Zerbey · 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
- N2022K · registry record · serial 4749
- 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, during landing, the airplane veered right, he applied left rudder to correct, but the airplane exited the runway to the right and impacted a ditch. The pilot added that he thought that he had become too relaxed and was "not on his game" during the landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ZER Pottsville PA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 11, 4,599 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 19,000 ft; a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KMUI, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 22, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.