# Accident 20010518010009A: Temco 11A, Apple Valley, CA, May 18, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 18, 2001, 14:00 local time - Place: Apple Valley, CA - Airport: Apple Valley Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.4319° N, 116.9211° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4319&lon=-116.9211&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1606B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1606B-2015-05-20) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Luscombe 11A (registry code 8890402, https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-11a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental E165 series (registry code 17013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e165-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TEMCO 11A - Reported engine: CONT E18511 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 16,000 total, 30 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA184) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010518010009A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON MAY 18, 2001, AT 1351 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A LUSCOMBE 11A, N1606B, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT MADE A FORCED LANDING NEAR APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. THE FORCED LANDING WAS PRECIPITATED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS OPERATING THE BORROWED AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED GLENDALE, ARIZONA, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WITH THE LOS ANGELES AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC) WERE PROVIDING THE PILOT WITH FLIGHT FOLLOWING. THE PILOT TOLD THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS OUT OF FUEL AND WOULD BE MAKING A FORCED LANDING. A RESPONDING SAN BERNADINO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DEPUTY STATED THAT HE OBSERVED NO FUEL IN EITHER OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS OR ON THE GROUND BENEATH THE AIRPLANE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS SHOW INDICATIONS OF BRUSHING AGAINST VEGETATION, THE PROPELLER WAS BENT AT BOTH TIPS, AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF. (-23) N1606B SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT MADE A FORCED LANDING NEAR APPLE VALLEY, CA. THE AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER AFTER REPORTEDLY EXPERIENCING TURBULENCE WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH THE ALTITUDE OF 6500 FEET MSL TO LAND AT APPLE VALLEY AIRPORT. THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED BEFORE THE FORCED LANDING. (.4) ON MAY 18, 2001, AT 1400 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME (PDT), A LUSCOMBE 11A, N1606B, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT WAS FORCE LANDED NEAR APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. THE FORCED LANDING WAS PRECIPITATED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT/OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND HIS PILOT-RATED PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED GLENDALE, ARIZONA, AT 1130 PDT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE AT THE COLUMBIA AIRPORT, COLUMBIA, CALIFORNIA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE SAFETY BOARD, HE STATED THAT THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED WITH THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, TAKEOFF, CLIMB, AND CRUISE PORTIONS OF THE FLIGHT. HE INDICATED THAT HE CHECKED FUEL AND TIME OVER TWENTY-NINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, AND ASKED THE LOS ANGELES AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC) AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER HOW FAR HE WAS FROM APPLE VALLEY. ARTCC INFORMED HIM HE WAS 18 MILES AWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT IT WAS HIS INTENTION TO LAND AT APPLE VALLEY FOR FUEL AND LUNCH. HE STARTED HIS DESCENT FROM 8,500 MSL TO 6,500 FEET MSL, WHERE HE ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE. HE NOTED THAT THE FUEL GAGE WAS FLUCTUATING, WHICH INDICATED TO HIM THAT THE FUEL WAS SLOSHING AROUND IN THE TANK. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SUSPECTED THAT THE FUEL LINE HAD BEEN UNCOVERED AND AIR HAD GOTTEN INTO THE FUEL LINE CAUSING VAPOR LOCK. HE "PUMPED" THE THROTTLE "THINKING I MIGHT GET THE FUEL MOVING BACK INTO THE CARBURETOR TO GET THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN." HE STATED THAT HE PICKED A PLACE TO LAND AFTER HIS UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE. HE CHOSE A SMALL DIRT ROAD; HE INDICATED THAT HIS ONLY PROBLEM WAS A PAVED ROAD WITH POLES THAT WAS PARALLEL TO THE DIRT ROAD. HE SETUP FOR THE FORCED LANDING. AT 20 MPH HE PUSHED THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE OVER TO LAND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE WITH SOME FORWARD MOVEMENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID THIS TO LESSEN THE DOWNWARD DIRECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AND TO SLOW IT DOWN ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING THE POLES. ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR, CONTROLLERS FROM ARTCC WERE PROVIDING THE PILOT WITH FLIGHT FOLLOWING. THE PILOT INFORMED THE ARTCC CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS OUT OF FUEL AND WOULD BE MAKING A FORCED LANDING. A RESPONDING SAN BERNARDINO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DEPUTY STATED THAT HE OBSERVED NO FUEL IN EITHER OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS OR ON THE GROUND BENEATH THE AIRPLANE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS SHOWED INDICATIONS OF BRUSHING AGAINST VEGETATION, AND WERE DAMAGED. THE PROPELLER WAS BENT AT THE TIPS, AND THE LANDING GEAR HAD BEEN SHEARED OFF. ## 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 LAX01LA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA184), May 18, 2001: Luscombe 11A (N1606B), Apple Valley, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's fuel mismanagement, which led to fuel exhaustion, a loss of engine power, and subsequent landing on unsuitable terrain. ## Other reports on N1606B (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20100618036319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100618036319A), Jun 18, 2010: Luscombe 11A (N1606B), Merced, CA, Destroyed. While enroute the pilot stated he felt a "bad vibration from the tail." The pilot was able to look back thru the rear windows and was able to see the elevator… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.