Luscombe 8A accident near Oceano, CA
On January 3, 2013, a Luscombe 8A (airplane) was involved in an accident near Oceano, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- January 3, 2013
- Place
- Oceano, CA
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.066°N, 120.618°W
- NTSB ID
- 20130102X04956
Official records · WPR13FA083
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn January 2, 2013, about 1605 Pacific standard time, a Luscombe 8A, N45923, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain about 2 miles south of the Oceano County Airport (L52), Oceano, California. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 local personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from L52 at an unknown time. Witnesses reported that they observed the airplane flying low above the beach when it ascended abruptly. When the airplane was approximately 150-200 feet above the ground, it appeared to stop and descended abruptly before it impacted the sand dunes below. The witnesses did not see the initial impact, but they observed the airplane bounce. Witnesses reported that the engine sounded normal during the accident sequence. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAt the time of the accident, the pilot, age 56, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine land privileges. The pilot also held an airframe and powerplant mechanics certificate. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second class medical was issued on October 1, 2012 with the restriction that he must possess glasses for near and intermediate vision. During his examination, the pilot reported he had a total of 7,000 flight hours, 185 of which were within the six months preceding the examination. The pilot's logbooks were not located. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe two-seat, high-wing,
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control and his improper decision to begin a low-level maneuver at an altitude that was not sufficient for recovery before ground impact. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from marijuana use.
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Browse: California · Luscombe aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
