Luscombe 8A accident near San Jose, California, June 24, 1985
On June 24, 1985 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N39087, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (San Jose Intl. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1985 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · San Jose Intl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N39087 · registry record · serial 1848
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL,DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE OF A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY AS IT ENTERED A GROUND LOOP THAT COLLAPSED THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR STRUT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,617 hours in all; 284 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days; 1,494 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,262 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A658 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SIC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 8,899 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from SJC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N39087 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.