Luscombe 8A accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, November 24, 1996
On November 24, 1996 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N1378K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlotte, North Carolina (Goose Creek 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
failure of the pilot maintain directional control of the aircraft, while landing. The proximity of trees was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 1996 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · Goose Creek · 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
- N1378K · registry record · serial 4105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot realized he had a tailwind while on short final approach and continued the approach to landing. During landing, he lost directional control of the aircraft, and it went off the runway and collided with trees.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,732 hours in all; 99 in this make and model; 367 in the last 90 days; 132 in the last 30 days; 2,730 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,426 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 1996; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SC76 Lancaster SC at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 28A
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,350 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from CLT, 20 miles away
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.
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.