Luscombe 8A N71653

Summary

On 20 May 1990 at about 15:30 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N71653, operated by RAY C. Brant, was involved in an accident near Strawberry, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 1990 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Strawberry, California, United States

Coordinates

38.1910, -120.0108

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N71653

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

RAY C. Brant

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbia → Bosie

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX90FA181

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT IN A CONFINED MOUNTAIN PASS AREA WHICH WAS IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS; AND THE PILOT'S INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE ATTEMPTING A COURSE REVERSAL IN THE NARROW CONFINED CANYON.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED IN COMPANY WITH TWO OTHER LUSCOMBE'S IN A FLIGHT OF THREE. ONE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE GROUP WHICH ADVISED AGAINST VFR FLIGHT DUE TO MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT, TURBULENCE AND ICING CONDITIONS. THE TWO SURVIVING PILOTS SAID THE GROUP DECIDED TO FLY UP TO THE SONORA PASS TO SEE IF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WOULD PERMIT CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS. ONE OF THE PILOTS WAS AN ATCT CONTROLLER AND A WEATHER OBSERVER. HE SAID THAT AFTER THE GROUP ARRIVED IN THE AREA OF THE PASS, HE SAW THAT THE NARROW CANYON WHICH LEADS TO THE PASS WAS OBSCURED BY LOW STRATUS CLOUDS. THE CONTROLLER/PILOT TRIED TO GET THE OTHER PILOTS TO FLY BACK TO COLUMBIA AND HAVE BREAKFAST WHILE THE WEATHER CLEARED OUT OF THE PASS, BUT THE ACCIDENT PILOT RADIOED THAT HE WAS GOING INTO THE CANYON TO 'CHECK IT OUT.' THE TWO SURVIVING PILOTS SAID THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEAR INTO THE CANYON FLYING BENEATH THE LOW CLOUDS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE PILOT TRANSMITTED 'WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.