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Atlas / NTSB / WPR23LA328

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event WPR23LA328

2023-08-26 Hillsboro, Oregon, United States Airport · 7S3 None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N28841

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

LUSCOMBE 8A

Year of manufacture

1940 · 83 years old at event

Engine

CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19560428

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A2EEB1

Registrant of record

SWORD SCOTT B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the landing roll and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a ground loop.

Factual narrative

The student pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll after the initial touch down, the airplane veered to the right. He applied excessive left rudder input to correct it, causing the airplane to oscillate left and right. The flight instructor attempted to regain the directional control, but his foot became caught. As the airplane decelerated and the oscillation increased, the airplane ground looped to the left, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Training-Initial instruct/training-Student/instructed pilot
  • Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Student/instructed pilot
  • Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
  • Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total experience w/ equipment-Student/instructed pilot
  • Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_WPR23LA328.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.