Luscombe 8A accident near Compton, California, February 17, 2007
On February 17, 2007 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N515SF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Compton, California (Compton 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 directional control during landing rollout. A contributing factor was the passenger's interference with the pilot's manipulation of the controls.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2007 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Compton, California · Compton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N515SF · registry record · serial 3766
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway during the landing rollout and impacted a parked airplane and a wall. The pilot had allowed his passenger, who was not a current pilot, to land the airplane. The pilot said the passenger did not remove his feet from the rudder pedals during rollout despite the pilot's repeated requests. This control interference hindered the pilot's ability to maintain control of the airplane. The pilot said there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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: 176 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPM Compton CA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: CPM Compton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7R, 3,322 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from HHR, 5 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.