# NTSB WPR24FA195: Luscombe 8A, N37081, South Lake Tahoe, CA, June 12, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: June 12, 2024, 15:25 local (22:25 UTC) - Place: South Lake Tahoe, CA - Coordinates: 38.891071, -119.96671 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8911&lon=-119.9667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 10, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 194461 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24FA195 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194461/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194461 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA195 ## Probable cause The pilot’s decision to continue low-altitude flight toward rising mountainous terrain in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in collision with trees and terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: climb rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 265 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: high density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Luscombe 8A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md?model=8190104), [All aircraft, 278 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: 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 pilot and passenger were conducting a cross-country flight in the 65-horsepower, tailwheel equipped airplane to an airport located in mountainous terrain. In-flight photos taken by the passenger showed the airplane at low altitude over the mountains, heading toward higher terrain, about 1/2 mile from the accident site. Accident site signatures were consistent with a collision with trees and subsequent impact with terrain. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The calculated density altitude at the accident site was about 11,329 ft. Review of the Koch chart using the estimated conditions present at the accident site showed about an 80% decrease in the airplane’s published climb performance under these conditions, which would have resulted in a rate of climb of about 150 ft per minute. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s decision to conduct low-altitude flight into mountainous terrain under density altitude conditions that significantly degraded the airplane’s performance, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain. ## Factual narrative The pilot operating handbook for the accident airplane stated in part that, at maximum gross weight, at sea level, the airplane’s rate of climb was 800 ft per minute. Using reported weather conditions and the accident site pressure altitude elevation, review of a Koch Chart showed an 80% (650 ft per minute) decrease in the airplane’s published climb rate. On June 12, 2024, at 1525 Pacific daylight time, a Luscombe 8A airplane, N37081, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near South Lake Tahoe, California. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was the subject of an alert notice (ALNOT) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration when the pilot and passenger did not arrive at their intended destination of Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL), South Lake Tahoe, California. Family members reported that they had spoken to the pilot earlier in the day and the pilot indicated that they were running late and would be arriving at TVL around 1530. The airplane was located by local law enforcement the following morning in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest at 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl), about 10 miles southeast of TVL. There were no known witnesses to the accident sequence. In-flight photos and their GPS locations were provided by the family of the passenger. Three of the provided photos were captured about 1/2 mile southwest of the accident site and showed the airplane at a low altitude over mountainous terrain, with a heading oriented toward rising terrain (see figure). Figure: Plot of photos in relation to the accident site and destination airport. An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the El Dorado County Coroner Unit. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was blunt force trauma with thoracic injuries (instantaneous). Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory found no drugs of abuse. The calculated pressure altitude for the accident site was 7,788 ft msl, and the calculated density altitude was 11,329 ft msl. The airplane came to rest inverted in a clearing on a magnetic heading of 333° about 75 yards from a service road. The first identified point of contact was a 75-ft tall tree that was missing limbs and a portion of the tree trunk, which were located within the debris path. Also in the debris path, about 25 ft from the initial tree strike, was a portion of the empennage and tail section that was lodged in the top of an approximate 15-ft-tall tree. The main wreckage was located about 10 ft beyond that tree. All major structural components of the airplane were located throughout the wreckage debris path. Postaccident examination of the recovered wreckage revealed that flight control continuity was established from the cockpit controls to all primary flight controls. Rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valvetrain. Thumb compression was obtained onall four cylinders. Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N37081](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N37081), registered now, S/N 1742, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LUSCOMBE 8A - Registry model: [Luscombe 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a) (registry code 8190104) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1742 - Year built: 1941 - Airframe hours: 4163.9 - Engines: Continental Motors A65 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 13, 2023 - Departed: 1O3, Lodi, CA - Destination: TVL, South Lake Tahoe, NV - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; last flight review August 17, 2022; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,273.8 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 6 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: KTVL, 6.42 nm away - METAR: METAR KTVL 122153Z AUTO 20006G18KT 10SM CLR 29/05 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP147 T02890050= ## 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 20240612010849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240612010849A), Jun 12, 2024: Luscombe 8A, Markleeville, CA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Received notification from law enforcement that a downed aircraft was located in the woods approximately six (6) miles southeast of lake tahoe airport (tvl).… ## Other investigations on N37081 (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 LAX81DVG38](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX81DVG38), May 25, 1981: Luscombe 8A (N37081), Paskenta, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194461. 13.1 MB in all. - Photos (item 1, PDF, 5 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20416498&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photo%20array-Rel.pdf - Accident site summary (item 2, PDF, 6 pages, 3 photos, 988 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20455253&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=accident%20site%20summary-Rel.pdf - Photos - provided by family (item 3, PDF, 13 pages, 6.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20417122&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photos%20provided%20by%20family%20report-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination summary (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20416790&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=wreckage%20examination%20summary-Rel.pdf - Performance summary (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 255 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20416952&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=performance%20summary-Rel.pdf - Owner's handbook of operation (item 6, PDF, 38 pages, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20416396&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Owner%27s%20Handbook%20of%20Operation-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20424335&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tox1_Redacted-Rel.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.