Luscombe 8A accident near Fort Bragg, California, August 4, 2001
On August 4, 2001 at about 11:19 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N28882, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Bragg, California (Fort Bragg (Private) airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while making a precautionary landing resulting in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2001 · about 11:19 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Bragg, California · Fort Bragg (Private) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N28882 · no longer on the register · serial 1624
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane while in a right turn for a precautionary landing. The destination airport became fogged in and the airplane was running low on fuel, so the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing to a ranch road. During the landing the pilot said he "allowed the airspeed to get too slow," resulting in a stall.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,722 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 2,669 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,894.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2001; 8.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 048 Little River CA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 8Q3 Fort Bragg CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from UKI, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.