Luscombe 8A N2013B

Summary

On 12 June 1982 at about 15:15 local time, a Luscombe 8A registered N2013B, operated by Donald C. Sprankle, was involved in an accident near Delano, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

12 June 1982 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Delano, California, United States

Nearest airport

Delano (DLO)

Coordinates

35.7798, -119.2308

Aircraft

Luscombe 8A

Registration

N2013B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Donald C. Sprankle

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Porterville → Delano

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX82DA217

2 people were seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND HIS DAUGHTER WERE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING A FORCED LANDING APPROACH TO A HIGHWAY, THE PILOT NOTICED SOME POWERLINES WHICH HE WENT UNDER. HE AVOIDED THE POWERLINES, BUT HIT A TRUCK. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED WITHIN 5 MILES OF THE DESTINATION. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND HAD NO RECOLLECTION ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. HIS DAUGHTER RELATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT RAN OUT OF FUEL. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, FUEL WAS FOUND IN BOTH TANKS. THE RIGHT TANK HAD THE LOWEST LEVEL OF FUEL WITH 3 GALLONS REMAINING. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES WERE FOUND TO BE VERY STIFF AND COULD NOT BE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REBUILT FROM 3 OTHER PLANES AND DID NOT HAVE THE LUSCOMBE AUTHORIZED FUEL SYSTEM INSTALLED. THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY DURING AN OPERATIONAL CHECK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.