Luscombe 8A accident near Selma, California, July 31, 1987
On July 31, 1987 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N1017K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Selma, California (Selma airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1987 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Selma, California · Selma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N1017K · registry record · serial 3744
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LUSCOMBE 8A COLLIDED WITH TWO PARKED AIRPLANES AFTER A HAND PROPPED START. THE STUDENT PILOT STARTED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WITHOUT THE BRAKES SET, WITH NO CHOCKS, AND WITH NO ONE IN THE COCKPIT. ONCE THE ENGINE STARTED, THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A CESSNA 150 AND A CESSNA 172. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD NO FLIGHT INSTRUCTION SINCE 1972. HE WAS LAST ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHT IN A LUSCOMBE 8A ON 6/20/70 AND HAD NO ENDORSEMENT ON HIS STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE.
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: student
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 1987; 65 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: OQ4
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from FAT, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX87LA288.