Luscombe 8 N45725

Summary

On 18 August 2011 at about 21:30 local time, a Luscombe 8 registered N45725, operated by Earl J Hodges, was involved in an accident near Lincoln, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 August 2011 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lincoln, California, United States

Nearest airport

Lincoln Regional (LHM)

Coordinates

38.9153, -121.3522

Aircraft

Luscombe 8

Registration

N45725

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Earl J Hodges

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Paradise → Paradise

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11LA416

1 person died.

The passenger's accidental fall while turning the propeller by hand to start the engine.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, the passenger was turning the propeller by hand to start the engine (hand-propping) when the engine “kicked back.” The passenger lost his balance, slipped, and fell to the pavement, striking his head. The pilot stated that after the fall the passenger said that he felt fine and that, en route to their destination, the passenger talked as he normally did. The pilot learned that, two days after the passenger suffered the fall, his wife had him admitted to the local hospital and that, the following day, the passenger had succumbed to what the local medical examiner described as a subdural hematoma as a result of an accidental fall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.