Luscombe 8A accident near Hubbard, Oregon, June 25, 1995
On June 25, 1995 at about 4:10 am local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N719JX, was destroyed in an accident near Hubbard, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WHO REBUILT THE AIRCRAFT TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE WING LOWER LIFT STRUT ATTACHMENT BOLTS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF ANOTHER MAINTENANCE PERSON TO ADEQUATELY INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT FOR PROPERLY SECURED BOLTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1995 · about 4:10 am local time
- Place
- Hubbard, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N719JX · no longer on the register · serial 3339
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE SEPARATE AS THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LOWER LIFT STRUT ATTACHMENT BOLT HAD SLIPPED OUT OF THE ATTACHMENT LUG, DEFORMED, AND SEPARATED IN POSITIVE BENDING OVERLOAD. THE ATTACHMENT NUT HAD EITHER BACKED OFF THE BOLT OR HAD NEVER BEEN INSTALLED. IT WAS NOT FOUND DURING AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH OF THE WRECKAGE AND THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE BOLT AND NUT FROM THE OPPOSITE WING WERE EXAMINED AND REVEALED THAT THE SELF-LOCKING NUT WAS NOT PROPERLY ENGAGED IN THE BOLT. ENTRIES IN THE MAINTENANCE LOGS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN REBUILT, AND THE LIFT STRUTS RE-ATTACHED, BY A MECHANIC WHO HAD INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION. THE REBUILD OCCURRED 2 YEARS AND 70 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE HAD SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION APPROXIMATELY 6 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT BY ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO HAD INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION, AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED.
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: 1,050 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,067 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 1995; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7S9 OR at 4:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from PDX, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.