NYC04CA159

Factual narrative

On July 4, 2004, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Luscombe 8F, N803B, was substantially damaged while landing at Aeroflex-Andover Airport (12N), Andover, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated that she was on final approach for the turf runway parallel to runway 21; a 1,981-foot-long, 150-foot-wide runway. As the airplane crossed the runway threshold, it encountered a severe downdraft. Before the pilot could arrest the descent, the airplane impacted the runway and came to rest inverted. The pilot further stated the prevailing winds were from the east, over a ridgeline, which caused downdrafts. The reported wind at an airport approximately 15 miles northeast of the accident site, at 1653, was from 150 degrees at 7 knots, varying between 120 degrees and 210 degrees. While on final approach for runway 21, over the threshold, the airplane encountered windshear. The pilot was unable to control the rate of descent, and the airplane impacted the runway. The reported wind at an airport approximately 15 miles northeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 150 degrees at 7 knots, varying between 120 degrees and 210 degrees. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12