Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

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.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

July 19, 2014 · Luscombe 8A A · N77942

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 19, 2014
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury)
Location
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Aircraft
Luscombe 8A A (1946)
Tail Number
N77942
Operator
Gadis Ethan
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
WPR14LA300

The private pilot reported that, shortly after the airplane departed the airport for the personal flight, the engine lost power. His attempt to restart the engine was unsuccessful. The pilot executed a forced landing to an open lot, and the airplane collided with terrain during the landing. Postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions about the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of carburetor icing at glide power. However, it could not be determined whether carburetor ice caused the loss of engine power because the engine was operating at takeoff power at the time.

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Full Narrative

On July 18, 2014, about 1816 Pacific daylight time, a Luscombe 8A, N77942, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a reported loss of engine power during cruise flight near Rancho Cucamonga, California. The certified private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was seriously injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wing. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated from Cable Airport (CCB), Upland, California about 1800.Witnesses in the area stated they observed the airplane in cruise flight heading eastward when the engine quit. The airplane was attempting to land when it impacted terrain short of an open field. According to the pilot, shortly after departing from CCB on a standard departure procedure to the east, the engine quit. He attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. He executed a forced landing by turning the airplane initially to the southwest and then shortly afterwards to the north, to avoid power lines in the area. He positioned the propeller assembly in the horizontal position to prevent a propeller strike during the landing. An onsite examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the aft fuselage was buckled and the forward fuselage and firewall were crushed. The left wing was separated at the wing root area and repositioned over the right wing by first responders. The battery was removed from the airplane. Fuel continued to drain from the wings. The postaccident examination of the airframe and engine, was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, and revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Additional examination information can be found in the wreckage examination report with accompanying pictures located in the public docket for this accident case file. Temperature and dew point values for the approximate time of the accident indicated that the relative humidity was approximately 40 percent. When the intersection of the two temperature values was located on a chart that depicted carburetor ice envelopes, the point was in the region of the chart denoted as "Serious Icing at Glide Power."

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:16 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftLuscombe 8A A
Tail NumberN77942
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorGadis Ethan
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental Motors · C85 · Reciprocating · 85
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 22 · Third Class · Serious

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind250° @ 12 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 22000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point57
Altimeter29.93 inHg
Observation Time00:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data