Luscombe 8E accident near Spanaway, Washington, October 18, 2003
On October 18, 2003 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N1806K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spanaway, Washington (Spanaway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude resulting in an undershoot of the runway and collision with a fence. A fence was a factor in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2003 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Spanaway, Washington · Spanaway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1806K · registry record · serial 4533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing approach, just before touchdown, the airplane's tail wheel caught the top of the chain link fence that runs perpendicular to runway 16. He stated that the airplane consequently impacted terrain and nosed over. The pilot stated that he might have been a little low while on final approach. Additionally, the pilot reported that he encountered turbulence, downdrafts and wind shear while on final approach to the runway. At the time of the accident, winds were reported to be from the south at 12 knots.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,659 hours in all; 208 in this make and model; 1,659 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 13, 2003; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S44 Spanaway WA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: S44 Spanaway WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,724 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KTCM, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.