Luscombe 8E accident near Juneau, Alaska, May 5, 1986
On May 5, 1986 at about 1:23 am local time, a Luscombe 8E, registered N1312B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Juneau, Alaska. 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
- May 5, 1986 · about 1:23 am local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8E · all 8Es on the register
- Registration
- N1312B · no longer on the register · serial 5939
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT HAD HISTORY OF WATER IN FUEL AND THE SYSTEM WAS PURGED.DURING WINTER, THE PLT DID NOT FLY ACFT BUT RAN THE ENG PERIODICALLY. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT REFUELED THE ACFT, COMPLETED A NORMAL PWR RUN-UP AND TOOK OFF. SHORTLYAFTER TAKEOFF, A PWR LOSS NECESSITATED A FORCED LANDING ON TIDAL FLATS. THE ACFT NOSED OVER AFTER THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED UPON ENCOUNTERING A DEPRESSION. APRX ONE GALLON OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL SUMP AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE SAMPLE SHOWED WATER AND SOLID PARTICULATES. THE ENG WAS THEN STARTED AND IT RAN NORMALLY.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,776 hours in all; 1,776 in this make and model; 1,676 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,806 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 1984; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JNU Juneau AK at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:37 pm from JNU
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.