Luscombe 8 accident near Twentynine Palms, California, May 29, 2012
On May 29, 2012 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Luscombe 8, registered N2435K, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Twentynine Palms, California (Twentynine Palms Self 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
A loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2012 · about 7:20 pm local time · cases in 2012
- Place
- Twentynine Palms, California · Twentynine Palms Self Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8 E · all 8s on the register
- Registration
- N2435K · no longer on the register · serial 5162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before departure, the pilot refueled the right wing tank with 11.34 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel; the left wing tank contained 12.5 gallons at the time of takeoff. After taking off and while in a shallow climb, the engine lost power. The pilot reported that after switching tanks and confirming that the mixture was FULL RICH, there was no change in the power. He then selected a dirt road and made an emergency landing during which the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. During the onsite postaccident examination on the day after the accident, no fuel was present at the accident site; however fuel could drain from the filler cap. Examination of the engine found no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The investigation was unable to determine the cause of the loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 501 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 9, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,496 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2012; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc. C85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TNP Twentynine Palms CA at 7:15 pm
- Destination: L35 Big Bear City CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PSP, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on June 14, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Data | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's on Scene Investigation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot Statements and Addendum | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Fuel Receipt Provided by Accident Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Fuel Transactions Provided by Petro-lock | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Statement - Petro-lock | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Statement - Doug Combs (Luscombe Expert) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N2435K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2435K: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Luscombe 8 Silvaire 1,420 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Luscombe 1,472 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc. C85 4,671 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Twentynine Palms Airport · nearest airport
- Big Bear City Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,098 in the last ten years
- California 27,686 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2435K 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR12LA264.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.