Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8A accident near Creswell, Oregon, September 7, 2015
On September 7, 2015 at about 4:58 pm local time, a 1960 Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8A, registered N4948E, was destroyed in an accident during approach near Creswell, Oregon (Hobby Field Airport). 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 pilot's decision to return to the runway shortly after takeoff, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the turn, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall and spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2015 · about 4:58 pm local time
- Place
- Creswell, Oregon · Hobby Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8A UNDESIGNAT, built 1960 · all LUSCOMBE 8As on the register
- Registration
- N4948E · no longer on the register · serial 6388
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot and pilot-rated passenger were departing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight was the first flight following the airplane's most recent annual inspection. One witness heard a radio transmission over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency that the airplane was experiencing a fire and returning to the airport. Another witness stated that his attention was drawn to the airplane when he heard a "pop," which was followed by a loss of power. All witness accounts were consistent with the airplane entering a steep left bank between 200 and 250 ft above ground level. As the airplane turned, the nose dropped, and the airplane descended to the ground. None of the witnesses observed any smoke or fire coming from the airplane before impact. The airplane was consumed by a postcrash fire. Despite the pilot's report of a fire, there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies found with the airplane or engine, and the investigation was unable to determine the source of the in-flight fire, if any. The terrain in front of the airplane as it departed the airport was mainly open, flat farm fields; such an area would be favorable for a straight-ahead, forced landing. Although the pilot perceived some anomaly during takeoff that prompted him to initiate a forced landing, the airplane did not have sufficient altitude to complete the 180-degree turn back to the runway. The pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and subsequently entering an aerodynamic stall and spin during the attempted turn.
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
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during initial climb
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during emergency descent
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,405 hours in all; 1,126 as pilot in command; 883 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2014
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 967 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,261 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 2015; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A&C65 Series (piston); 1,832 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 77S Creswell OR at 4:58 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,101 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; scat at 100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from KEUG, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR15FA258.