- Date
- October 14, 1993, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Vernon, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1859BLuscombe T8F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931014039459A
- Case key
- 38702
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 preflight inspection, which failed to detect an unsecured dipstick, resulting in oil starvation and the loss of engine power.
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
While in cruise flight, the pilot reported a 'power loss and no oil pressure.' He initiated a forced landing onto a field, and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. During an examination of the wreckage, the oil dipstick was found unsecured in the engine compartment.
Factual narrative
On Thursday, October 14, 1993, at 1630 eastern daylight time, a Luscombe T8F, N1859B, registered to and piloted by Robert L. Bahruth, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in a field near Vernon, New Jersey. The pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot observed a loss of engine oil pressure, while in cruise flight. Engine failure occurred, and he initiated a forced landing to a nearby field. During the landing roll, the landing gear contacted soft terrain and the airplane nosed over.
Mr. Martin J. Lynn, Aviation Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, conducted an examination of the wreckage and an interview with the pilot. In his report, Mr. Lynn stated:
The smell of fuel was prevalent...the bottom of the engine had significant quantities of engine oil. The oil was very clean. Upon opening the engine compartment, it was noticed that the oil dipstick was lying unsecured in the engine compartment.
On October 26, 1993, FAA Inspectors Lynn and McCoy conducted an additional examination of the engine at the Greenwood Lake Airport, West Milford, New Jersey. In his report, Mr. Lynn stated:
The engine had seized and the seizure may have been caused by a piston or a camshaft...No cracks in the crankcase or oil system that could have caused a massive oil leak were discovered. There was a spray pattern of oil on the inside portion of the cowling that would indicate that the oil blew out the oil filler neck.
Mr. Lynn's report continued:
When I questioned him [the pilot] on whether or not he had verified that the oil cap was secured prior to takeoff he said he had not verified [that] it was secured. Apparently he had been working on the aircraft all day and assisted in the oil change and assumed everything was secured prior to takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1859B
- Reported as
- Luscombe T8F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6286
- Airframe hours
- 1,605
- Engine
- Continental C-90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert L. Bahruth
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 14, 1993 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Lewis Landing, NJ
- Destination
- N07 · Lincoln Park, NJ
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
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,158 total · 200 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F
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 N1859B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.