Luscombe 8-A accident near Chillicothe, Missouri, December 26, 1987
On December 26, 1987 at about 9:18 pm local time, a Luscombe 8-A, registered N71288, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chillicothe, Missouri (Chillicothe 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
- December 26, 1987 · about 9:18 pm local time
- Place
- Chillicothe, Missouri · Chillicothe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8-A · all 8-As on the register
- Registration
- N71288 · registry record · serial 4127868
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LDG ATTEMPT, ACFT TOUCHED DOWN AND SWERVED ABRUPTLY. LOSS OF CONTROL WAS EXPERIENCED BY PIC, AND ACFT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN ON THE RUNWAY. PIC STATED THE BRAKES MAY HAVE BEEN FROZEN, AS HE HAD TAXIED THRU STANDING WATER DURING DEPARTURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,226 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRX Trenton MO at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.