19991225044109A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Luscom 8E · San Luis, CO · December 25, 1999

Date: December 25, 1999 · 18:00 local
Place: San Luis, CO
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N1941B
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN00LA031
Reported as: Luscom 8E

N1941BRegistration cancelled Jun 16, 2003 · Luscombe 8ES/N 6455 Airframe modelLuscombe 8E Engine modelContinental C90 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23)On December 25, 1999, at approx. 1800 MST, a Luscombe 8E, was substantially damaged following impact with terrain near San Luis, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was seriously injured. The airplane was being operated by the pilot under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight which originated from leadville, Colorado, approx. 1 hour before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The sheriff of costilla county, Colorado, reported that the airplane was located in whiskey pass, approx. 12 NM due east of San Luis, at 12,400 feet. He said that rescue teams located the airplane the following day at approx. 1300, and the pilot was recovered on a snowmobile. The pilot was hospitalized with a broken vertevra. The pilot said that he encountered a "down draft". Winds reported at rescue site at 45 to 55 knots.

As the FAA filed it

(-23)ON DECEMBER 25, 1999, AT APPROX. 1800 MST, A LUSCOMBE 8E, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING IMPACT WITH TERRAIN NEAR SAN LUIS, COLORADO. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT IN THE AIRPLANE, WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM LEADVILLE, COLORADO, APPROX. 1 HOUR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE SHERIFF OF COSTILLA COUNTY, COLORADO, REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED IN WHISKEY PASS, APPROX. 12 NM DUE EAST OF SAN LUIS, AT 12,400 FEET. HE SAID THAT RESCUE TEAMS LOCATED THE AIRPLANE THE FOLLOWING DAY AT APPROX. 1300, AND THE PILOT WAS RECOVERED ON A SNOWMOBILE. THE PILOT WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH A BROKEN VERTEVRA. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A "DOWN DRAFT". WINDS REPORTED AT RESCUE SITE AT 45 TO 55 KNOTS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN00LA031Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSan Luis, COThe pilot's inadequate in-flight decision, and the subsequent inadvertent stall/mush. Factors were the pilot's lack of total experience in mountain flying, the high density altitude, and downdraft weather conditions.Dec 25, 1999 · Substantial damage