# NTSB WPR14LA300: Luscombe 8A, N77942, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, July 19, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 18, 2014, 18:16 local (Jul 19, 2014, 01:16 UTC) - Place: Rancho Cucamonga, CA - Coordinates: 34.163887, -117.576385 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1639&lon=-117.5764&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Emergency descent: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 20, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89695 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR14LA300 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89695/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89695 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA300 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot reported that, shortly after the airplane departed the airport for the personal flight, the engine lost power. His attempt to restart the engine was unsuccessful. The pilot executed a forced landing to an open lot, and the airplane collided with terrain during the landing. Postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions about the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of carburetor icing at glide power. However, it could not be determined whether carburetor ice caused the loss of engine power because the engine was operating at takeoff power at the time. ## Factual narrative On July 18, 2014, about 1816 Pacific daylight time, a Luscombe 8A, N77942, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a reported loss of engine power during cruise flight near Rancho Cucamonga, California. The certified private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was seriously injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wing. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated from Cable Airport (CCB), Upland, California about 1800.Witnesses in the area stated they observed the airplane in cruise flight heading eastward when the engine quit. The airplane was attempting to land when it impacted terrain short of an open field. According to the pilot, shortly after departing from CCB on a standard departure procedure to the east, the engine quit. He attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. He executed a forced landing by turning the airplane initially to the southwest and then shortly afterwards to the north, to avoid power lines in the area. He positioned the propeller assembly in the horizontal position to prevent a propeller strike during the landing. An onsite examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the aft fuselage was buckled and the forward fuselage and firewall were crushed. The left wing was separated at the wing root area and repositioned over the right wing by first responders. The battery was removed from the airplane. Fuel continued to drain from the wings. The postaccident examination of the airframe and engine, was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, and revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Additional examination information can be found in the wreckage examination report with accompanying pictures located in the public docket for this accident case file. Temperature and dew point values for the approximate time of the accident indicated that the relative humidity was approximately 40 percent. When the intersection of the two temperature values was located on a chart that depicted carburetor ice envelopes, the point was in the region of the chart denoted as "Serious Icing at Glide Power." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N77942](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N77942), registered now, S/N 3669, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LUSCOMBE 8A (A) - Registry model: [Luscombe 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a) (registry code 8190104) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C85 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (registry code 17008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3669 - Year built: 1946 - Engines: Continental Motors C85 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Gadis, Ethan - Registered owner: Gadis, Ethan - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: CCB, UPLAND, CA - Destination: CCB, UPLAND, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 22,000 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KONT, 7 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20140718013859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140718013859A), Jul 18, 2014: Luscombe 8A, Rancho Cucamong, CA, Substantial damage. On July 18, 2014, at approximately 18:16 hours PDT the san bernardino county sheriff?s department (dba Rancho cucamonga police department) contacted the FAA… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 29, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89695. 2.6 MB in all. - NTSB Airframe and Engine Examination Summary (item 1, .PDF, 11 photos, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437118&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Examination%20Summary-Master.PDF - FAA-SAIB CE09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, Chart (item 2, .PDF, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437119&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA-SAIB%20CE09-35%20Carburetor%20Icing%20Prevention,%20Chart-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 3, .PDF, 198 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437120&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 3 photos, 534 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437121&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.