# Accident 19991226045039A: Luscom 8A, Gualala, CA, December 26, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 26, 1999, 13:30 local time
- Place: Gualala, CA
- Airport: Ocean Ridge Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8208° N, 123.5100° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8208&lon=-123.5100&mi=10
- Aircraft: N45886, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N45886) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Luscombe 8A (registry code 8190104, https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LUSCOM 8A
- Reported engine: CONT C9012F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 255 total, 137 in this make and model, 33 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA057) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991226045039A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA^STALLED THE A/C ON TAKEOFF. RIGHT WING STRUCK GROUND FIRST. A/C GROUND LOOPED. ^PRIVACY DATA^WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEPART Q69, OCEAN RIDGE AIRPORT, GUALALA, CA. (.4)ON DECEMBER 26, 1999, ABOUT 1330 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A LUSCOMBE 8A, N45886, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, DESCENDED BACK TO THE GROUND DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB FROM THE OCEAN RIDGE AIRPORT, GUALALA, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS BEING PERFORMED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED UPON IMPACTING TERRAIN ON THE AIRPORT. NEITHER THE PRIVATE PILOT NOR PASSENGER WAS INJURED.  THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS A FLIGHT TO SONOMA, CALIFORNIA.  THE MANAGER OF THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF FROM RUNWAY 13, AND THEREAFTER IT APPEARED TO STALL. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED LEFT, IMPACTED TERRAIN, AND CARTWHEELED.  THE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY SOLOED FROM THE SONOMA SKYPARK AIRPORT.  COPIES OF RECORDS PROVIDED BY THE PILOT INDICATED THAT ON JUNE 22, 1999, HIS STU                                                DENT PILOT CERTIFICATE WAS ENDORSED BY A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AUTHORIZING SOLO FLIGHT IN THE LUSCOMBE 8A. THE STUDENT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY LOGBOOK EVIDENCE INDICATING HE HAD BEEN AUTHORIZED TO SOLO FROM THE OCEAN RIDGE AIRPORT.  THE PILOT'S STUDENT CERTIFICATE DID NOT BEAR AN ENDORSEMENT FOR SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT.  THE STUDENT'S LAST 90-DAY LOGBOOK ENDORSEMENT AUTHORIZING SOLO FLIGHT WAS DATE JUEN 22, 1999.

## 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 LAX00LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA057), Dec 26, 1999: Luscombe 8A (N45886), Gualala, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall/mush and a collision with the ground.

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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