FLOYDADA, TX, USA
N1907K
Luscombe 8F
During the landing roll on runway 17, with the wind 'out of the west at 20 to 30 knots and gusty,' the pilot was unable to prevent the airplane from beginning 'a steep turn towards the west.' The pilot applied left brake, but this did not slow the turn to the right. As the pilot increased pressure on the left brake, the brake 'locked,' the tail came up, and the airplane nosed over. The winds recorded at a location 32 nautical miles from the accident site, 4 minutes prior to the accident, were from 220 degrees at 19 knots.
On November 29, 1996, at 1200 central standard time, a Luscombe 8F, N1907K, registered to and operated by a private owner, sustained substantial damage during landing near Floydada, Texas. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 ferry flight. A flight plan was not filed for the cross country flight that originated from Bovina, Texas, at 1100. According to the pilot, "the winds were out of the west at 20 to 30 knots and gusty." He was "unable to maintain a straight ground track on the runway" during his first attempted landing on runway 17 at the Floydada Municipal Airport and executed a go-around. On his second landing, the pilot was able to maintain a straight track until he "couldn't hold the tail up anymore." When the tail "dropped," he lost rudder authority and "could not keep the airplane moving straight." The airplane "began a steep turn towards the west," and the pilot applied left brake, but this did not slow the turn to the right. As the pilot increased pressure on the left brake, "the brake locked," the "tail came up," and the airplane nosed over coming to rest in the inverted position. Damage to the airplane included a crushed vertical stabilizer and bending of the fuselage. At 1156, 4 minutes prior to the accident, the winds at the Lubbock International Airport in Lubbock, Texas, were from 220 degrees at 19 knots. Lubbock International Airport is 32 nautical miles from the accident site.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind during landing. Factors were the crosswind and the locked left main wheel brake.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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