Luscombe 8A accident near Colville, Washington, May 15, 2003
On May 15, 2003 at about 6:55 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N1977B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colville, Washington (Colville Muni 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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions on landing. A contributing factor was a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2003 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- Colville, Washington · Colville Muni · map
- 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
- N1977B · registry record · serial 6404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed on runway 19 with an approximate 90 degree crosswind and a wind velocity in excess of 10 knots. While making the crosswind landing the main wheels were down and as the tail wheel touched the runway, the wind began to lift the left wing and the aircraft begin to drift to the right. After several attempts at corrective action the aircraft departed the pavement at about a 10 to 15 degree angle coming nearly to a stop as the wind caught and raised the tail overturning the aircraft. The nose over resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the right wing lift strut.
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: 1,024 hours in all; 856 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 977 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 2, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,653 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 2003; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 09S Metaline Falls ID at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 63S Colville WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,700 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.