Luscombe 8A accident near Indiantown, Florida, June 3, 2008
On June 3, 2008 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N37012, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Indiantown, Florida (Indiantown airport). It was an instructional 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
An inadequate annual inspection that failed to detect a damaged rudder cable which resulted in the cable's subsequent failure during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2008 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Indiantown, Florida · Indiantown · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- 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
- N37012 · no longer on the register · serial 1678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Luscombe 8A was taking off from a turf runway, and had climbed to an altitude of about 10 feet above ground level, when the left rudder cable failed. The airplane yawed to the right and the left wing and nose contacted the ground. The airplane subsequently came to rest on the right side of the runway and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left rudder cable had separated at the first pulley under the cabin floor. The separated end of the cable was frayed and displayed evidence of corrosion. The airplane had been operated for about 25 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 11 months prior to the accident. At the time of the inspection, a mechanic noted that the control cables were inspected for damage per a required Airworthiness Directive.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Damaged/degraded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 631 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 544 as pilot in command; 59 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2007; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X58 Indiantown FL at 4:45 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from OBE, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.