Luscombe 8A accident near Reedley, California, August 31, 2007
On August 31, 2007 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N1544K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reedley, California (Peg Field 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 on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2007 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reedley, California · Peg Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N1544K · registry record · serial 4271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a normal landing approach and touched down on the first 1/4 of the upsloping runway. He stated that he flared for landing and decided to allow the airplane to settle to the ground in a three point attitude. After touchdown, the airplane began to veer to the right. As he corrected back to the runway, the airplane began to oscillate and then ground looped. The pilot reported that if he had done a wheel landing and held the tail off the ground until the speed had dissipated, he would have had more time to recognize a potential ground loop situation and react accordingly. He further stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.
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: 763 hours in all; 478 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 763 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,862 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2006; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCH Fresno CA at 4:10 pm
- Destination: 42CN Reedley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,110 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from FAT, 16 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.
Other NTSB records under N1544K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.