Luscombe 11A accident near Apple Valley, California, May 18, 2001
On May 18, 2001 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 11A, registered N1606B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apple Valley, California (Apple Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's fuel mismanagement, which led to fuel exhaustion, a loss of engine power, and subsequent landing on unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2001 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · Apple Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 11A · all 11As on the register
- Registration
- N1606B · no longer on the register · serial 11-115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane made a forced landing on a dirt road due to a loss of engine power. The landing gear was sheared off, and both wings were damanged on the landing rollout. The personal cross-country flight had departed about 2.5 hours prior to the accident. Responding personnel looked in the fuel tanks, and the surrounding area, and did not see or smell any fuel.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 8, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,510 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 2000; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental E-185-11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 6:30 pm
- Destination: APV Apple Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from KDAG, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N1606B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX01LA184.