- Date
- September 19, 1993, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Napa, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2485KLuscombe 8E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930919034799A
- Case key
- 28480
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. The rough/uneven terrain was a factor in this accident.
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 pilot reported that the airplane sustained a total loss of power shortly after liftoff. The cause of the loss of power was not determined.
Factual narrative
On September 19, 1993, at 1130 hours Pacific daylight time, the right wing of a Luscombe 8E, N2485K, struck the ground and crashed shortly after taking off from runway 18L at Napa Airport, Napa, California. The pilot was beginning a local visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. Neither the certificated private pilot nor the certificated private pilot/passenger were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The first pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that the engine suddenly lost power shortly after lift off. The pilot elected to land on the freshly plowed field next to the runway.
The FAA, Sacramento Flight Standards District Office, did not conduct an on-scene investigation; the engine was not examined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2485K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5212
- Airframe hours
- 3,337
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mark M. Rusin & Lee A. Ward
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 2, 1930 · 4 hours before
- Airport
- APC · Napa County Airport, runway 18L, 2,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 69
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 495 total · 331 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.