Luscombe LL-8-E accident near Charlottesville, Virginia, June 10, 1997
On June 10, 1997 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Luscombe LL-8-E, registered N1750K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlottesville, Virginia (Charlottesville-Albemarle 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
The left main landing gear collapsed due to corrosion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1997 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Charlottesville, Virginia · Charlottesville-Albemarle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe LL-8-E
- Registration
- N1750K · no longer on the register · serial 4477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The two pilots aboard were both certified flight instructors. The purpose of the flight was for one of the two pilots to renew the others tailwheel currency. During the landing left main gear collapsed. The instructing pilot performed the landing. He stated 'I landed the aircraft three point and let the aircraft decelerate in a ground roll of 1,000 feet. With approximately 3,000 feet of runway remaining the [other pilot] asked if I wanted some brakes, I said 'just a little bit.' We were traveling below 20 knots by now. The right seat was not equipped with brakes. After I responded...I felt the aircraft swing 180 degrees right, rapidly. The left wheel broke off, and the tube collapsed. The aircraft came to rest on the left wing, right main and tail wheel. The propeller striking the runway stopped the engine.' Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear had 'heavy corrosion (rust) where the strut joined the axle,' which was at the point of separation.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,450 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,350 as pilot in command; 550 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from CHO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N1750K 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.