Luscombe 8A accident near Coventryville, New York, July 28, 1985
On July 28, 1985 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N45564, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coventryville, New York. 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 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
- July 28, 1985 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Coventryville, New York
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N45564 · registry record · serial 2091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL FLT OVER COVENTRYVILLE, NY, THE PLT DECIDED TO OVERFLY AND OBSERVE A BUILDING. THE PLT MADE ONE PASS AND WAS ABOUT TO MAKE ANOTHER WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR. WHILE PLANNING TO LAND IN A NEARBY FLD, THE ENG REGAINED PWR AND THE PLT DISCONTINUED THE EMERGENCY LANDING.THE ACFT DID NOT CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY TO CLEAR THE TREES AND COLLIDED WITH THE TREE TOPS AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 1,130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,445 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 1984; 169 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N23 Sidney NY at 4:00 pm
- Destination: NY73 Coventryville NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Observation at 2:00 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N45564 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.