Accident Luscombe 8A N71983, Saturday 20 May 2023

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Date:	Saturday 20 May 2023
Time:	08:20
Type:	Luscombe 8A
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N71983
MSN:	3410
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Clovis, NM - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Portales Municipal Airport, NM (KPRZ)
Destination airport:	Clovis Municipal Airport, NM (CVN/KCVN)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On May 20, 2023, at 0820 mountain daylight time, a Silvaire Luscombe 8A, N71983, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Clovis, New Mexico. The flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The flight instructor reported that he and the pilot receiving instruction were conducting a series of touch-and-go landings and, while on the crosswind leg about 300 ft above ground level, the airplane stopped climbing and began to descend. The flight instructor stated there was not enough time to assess the engine or flight controls and he initiated a landing in a nearby field. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. Both propeller blade tips were bent aft and exhibited some twisting.

An examination of the airframe and engine found the right aileron cables were installed incorrectly and twisted, but any mechanical interference resulting from this was slight and likely imperceivable during preflight checks or inflight. A mechanic stated the magnetos were timed to 0°, and the engine technical specifications called for the magnetos to be timed 30°, which would have likely had a significant effect on the engine’s ability to produce power. However, the method in which the timing was checked was not established and it is unlikely the engine would have performed adequately for the airplane to have operated without the pilots recognizing there was an engine performance issue.

Weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at cruise power. It is possible the engine exhibited at least a partial loss of engine power due to carburetor icing, but neither pilot recalled a change in engine performance and a loss of engine power was not confirmed before the accident.

The reason the airplane descended uncontrollably could not be determined based on the available evidence.

Probable Cause: The airplane’s uncontrollable descent and forced landing for reasons that could not be determined.

Accident investigation: