Luscombe 8F accident near Tombstone, Arizona, February 3, 2001
On February 3, 2001 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Luscombe 8F, registered N747MP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tombstone, Arizona (Tombstone Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's lack of directional control on the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and inadvertent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 2001 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Tombstone, Arizona · Tombstone Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8F · all 8Fs on the register
- Registration
- N747MP · no longer on the register · serial 6271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On landing roll, in an effort to prevent the airplane from departing the left side of the runway, the pilot applied pressure to the right brake and the airplane nosed over. The owner was sitting in the right seat, and was letting his friend fly the airplane. He did not have brakes on the right side. During the landing roll, the airplane began to veer to the left edge of the runway. The owner estimated the speed was about 25 miles per hour. He attempted to help steer the airplane back to the centerline.
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: military
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 12,181 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 1999; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVQ Marana AZ at 2:50 pm
- Destination: P29 Tombstone AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,610 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from DUG, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.