Luscombe 8A accident near Half Moon Bay, California, November 1, 1986
On November 1, 1986 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N71745, was substantially damaged in an accident near Half Moon Bay, California (Halfmoon Bay airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 1, 1986 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, California · Halfmoon Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N71745 · no longer on the register · serial 3172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND APPLIED THE CARBURETOR HEAT TO DESCEND FROM 3,000 TO 2,000 FT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRICAL STARTING SYSTEM. HE LANDED THE ACFT IN A FIELD WITH ROUGH/SOFT SURFACE CONDITIONS COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR AND CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT'S FUSELAGE. THE PLT ALSO INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS. THE ACFT'S ENGINE WAS EXAMINED AND NO CAUSE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER WAS DETERMINED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,064 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 214 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 2,993 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,532 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1986; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWD Haywood CA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: HAF Half Moon Bay CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from SJC, 26 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.
Other NTSB records under N71745 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.