Luscombe 8A accident near Pensacola, Florida, October 26, 2007
On October 26, 2007 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N2099K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Ferguson 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 fatigue fracture of the tail wheel spring during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2007 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Ferguson Airport · 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
- N2099K · no longer on the register · serial 4826
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff, the tail wheel airplane was about 2 feet in the air when it suddenly veered to the left. The pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway; however, the airplane continued left and impacted trees to the left of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the tail wheel leaf spring was separated from the tail wheel assembly, and the wheel was "jammed" against the rudder. The fracture surface appeared to be a fatigue failure. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed about 9 months prior to the accident, with no anomalies noted. Checking the tail wheel spring was a requirement during an annual inspection. Without removing the outer clip, a pilot would not be able to check the spring during a preflight inspection.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,406 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,350 as pilot in command; 550 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,805 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-658 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 82J Pensacola FL at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,200 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PNS, 10 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.