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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

May 20, 1990 · Luscombe 8A · N71653

Strawberry, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 20, 1990
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Location
Strawberry, CA
Aircraft
Luscombe 8A
Tail Number
N71653
Operator
Ray C Brant
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX90FA181

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.'

NTSB Probable Cause

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.

Full 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.'

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:30 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftLuscombe 8A
Tail NumberN71653
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRay C Brant
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · A-65-8 · Reciprocating · 65
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 50 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility1 sm
CeilingOvercast 300 ft
Temperature / Dew Point45 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data