Luscombe 8F accident near Andover, New Jersey, July 4, 2004
On July 4, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8F, registered N803B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andover, New Jersey (Aeroflex-Andover 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 aircraft control during approach. A factor was windshear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Andover, New Jersey · Aeroflex-Andover Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8F · all 8Fs on the register
- Registration
- N803B · registry record · serial 6733
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach for runway 21, over the threshold, the airplane encountered windshear. The pilot was unable to control the rate of descent, and the airplane impacted the runway. The reported wind at an airport approximately 15 miles northeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 150 degrees at 7 knots, varying between 120 degrees and 210 degrees.
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: 1,007 hours in all; 924 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 904 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 18, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 12N Andover NJ
- Destination: 12N
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,981 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from FWN, 15 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.
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.