LUSCOMBE 8A

Full Narrative

On June 3, 2017, about 1030 mountain daylight time, a Luscombe 8E airplane, N1627K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Rexburg, Idaho. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported that he departed with 9 gallons of fuel in the right-wing tank and 8 gallons in the left- wing tank. After flying for about an hour, he returned to Rexburg-Madison County Airport (RXE), Rexburg, Idaho, and entered the traffic pattern for runway 17. While on final approach, the pilot "felt a little low" and applied throttle with no response from the engine. He actuated the fuel primer twice; however, there was no increase in engine power. The pilot landed short of the runway and the airplane collided with bushes and a fence before coming to rest in the South Teton River.
The airplane was removed from the river by a local landowner. Shortly after the recovery, the airplane was flipped over by wind gusts. The wreckage remained inverted for 5 days before a post-accident examination, which revealed substantial damage to the aft fuselage and wings. No fuel was detected in the wing tanks and gascolator. No other preimpact anomalies were noted during the examination.