Luscombe 8A accident near Bakersfield, California, January 19, 1991
On January 19, 1991 at about 10:16 pm local time, a Luscombe 8A, registered N71745, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE EXISTING CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1991 · about 10:16 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield
- 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
- N71745 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 30L AT BFL. THE SURFACE WINDS WERE 080 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS. DURING THE LANDING ROLL HE FAILED TO PROPERLY COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND INADVERTENTLY GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE GROUND LOOP.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LSN Los Banos CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:32 pm from BFL, 1 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.
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.