# Accident 19980907022679A: Luscom 8E, Mojave, CA, September 7, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 7, 1998, 22:30 local time
- Place: Mojave, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0525° N, 118.1740° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Mojave, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0525&lon=-118.1740&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1716K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1716K-1998-12-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E (registry code 8190128, https://openairdocs.org/model/silvaire-luscombe-8e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LUSCOM 8E
- Reported engine: CONT C8512F
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,598 total, 172 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA277](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA277) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980907022679A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE PILOT SAID HE HAD LAST RECEIVED FUEL A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AT PORTERVILLE, AND SINCE THEN, HAD ONLY FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT 1.7 HOURS. HE KEPT THE AIRCRAFT TIED DOWN OUTSIDE.  AFTER ROLLING OUT OF A LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE RPM STARTED TO DECREASE.  HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, BUT REPORTED THAT IT DIDN'T HELP.  HE INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ONTO AN ASPHALT TRACK AND DURING THE APPROACH, COLLIDED WITH ELECTRICAL POWER LINES THAT RAN PERPENDICULAR TO THE TRACK.  HE STATED THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN THE POWER LINES.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 200 FEET FROM THE POWER LINES IN 50-DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.  THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO RESPONDED TO THE SITE REPORTED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND INTACT.  AIRCRAFT RETRIEVERS DRAINED 1.25 TOTAL GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  THERE WAS ALSO ABOUT 1 GALLON OF FUEL ON THE GROUND.  NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING AN ENGINE EXAMINATION.  THE FUEL VENTS WERE CLEAR AND UNOBSTRUCTED.  THERE WAS NO FUEL FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR OR THE FUEL LINES.    (-23) FUEL TANKS NEAR EMPTY (1.25 GAL RETRIEVED) ON AIRCRAFT RECOVERY. AIRCRAFT BANKING IN 360 DEGREE TURNS WHEN ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED. AIRCRAFT TOO LO W (400' AGL) TO RECOVER POWER BEFORE BEING FORCED TO LAND. HIT POWER LINES ON APPROACH TO HONDA R & D TEST OVAL TRACK.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA277](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA277), Sep 8, 1998: Silvaire Luscombe 8E (N1716K), Mojave, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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