Culver LCA accident near San Luis Obispo, California, June 21, 1993
On June 21, 1993 at about 10:22 pm local time, a Culver LCA, registered N29396, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Luis Obispo, California (San Luis Obispo 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING TAKEOFF. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN TAIL WHEEL AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1993 · about 10:22 pm local time
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, California · San Luis Obispo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Culver LCA · all LCAs on the register
- Registration
- N29396 · registry record · serial 189
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS PICKING UP THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH HIS FATHER IN LAW HAD JUST PURCHASED, AND WAS GOING TO FLY IT TO WASHINGTON STATE. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE INTENDED TO STAY IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO DO SEVERAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS PRIOR TO PROCEEDING ON THE DELIVERY FLIGHT. THE RESPONDING FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE PILOT'S LAST TAIL WHEEL AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCE WAS IN 1985, AND, AT THAT TIME, HIS TOTAL TAIL WHEEL EXPERIENCE WAS 250 HOURS. GROUND WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AFTER A GROUND ROLL OF ABOUT 600 FEET AND IMMEDIATELY YAWED AND ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL ON RUNWAY 29 HE LOOKED DOWN AT THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR, AND, WHEN HE LOOKED UP AGAIN, THE AIRCRAFT HAD LIFTED OFF AND WAS ROLLING TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT CORRECT THE ROLL IN TIME TO PREVENT A NOSE DOWN COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. THE WINDS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTED BY THE CONTROL TOWER AT 300 DEGREES AT 18 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 230 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,418 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 1993; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,305 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBP at 10:15 pm
- Destination: SBP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,799 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:27 pm from SBP
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.
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.