- Date
- October 11, 2003, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Murrieta, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1918BLuscombe 8F
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20031011025829A
- Case key
- 58138
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather which resulted in VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance. Fog and rising terrain were contributing factors.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane collided with terrain just after departure. The pilot's friend had departed and reported clear weather conditions. As the pilot departed, a fog bank closed in. The pilot turned to the right in an attempt to land. During the turn, he saw a hill. He added power and attempted to avoid the hill, but the airplane impacted the hillside. Dense fog conditions were present during the time of the accident, and the pilot did not obtain a weather briefing prior to departure. There were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
On October 11, 2003, about 0800 Pacific daylight time, a Luscombe 8F, N1918B, collided with terrain just after departure from the French Valley Airport (F70), Murrieta, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal cross-country flight.
The NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) reviewed a copy of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department police report. The responding deputy interviewed the pilot. The pilot reported that he and his friend [in another airplane] were en route to Phoenix, Arizona. After takeoff the pilot decided to land because he had "a strange feeling about the flight." The pilot made a right turn to the south in an attempt to land to the north. During the turn, he saw a hill. He added power and attempted to turn to the right; however, the airplane impacted the hillside. Witnesses to the accident reported that dense fog conditions were present.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that when he departed, the sky was clear in his direction of flight. As he departed, a fog bank closed in and he attempted to return to the airport. While in the turn, the airplane impacted the ground. He noted that there were no mechanical malfunctions.
In a phone conversation, the pilot stated that his friend departed prior to him. His friend reported clear weather conditions. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing prior to departure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1918B
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6345
- Airframe hours
- 1,928
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alexander Mackie
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 26, 2003
- Departed
- KF70 · Murrieta, CA
- Destination
- A39 · Phoenix, AZ
- Airport
- F70 · French Valley
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- KRIV, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1918B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.