Luscombe 8A accident near South Lake Tahoe, California, June 12, 2024
On June 12, 2024 at about 10:25 pm local time, a 1941 Luscombe 8A, registered N37081, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near South Lake Tahoe, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue low-altitude flight toward rising mountainous terrain in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in collision with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2024 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- South Lake Tahoe, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8A, built 1941 · all 8As on the register
- Registration
- N37081 · registry record · serial 1742
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were conducting a cross-country flight in the 65-horsepower, tailwheel equipped airplane to an airport located in mountainous terrain. In-flight photos taken by the passenger showed the airplane at low altitude over the mountains, heading toward higher terrain, about 1/2 mile from the accident site. Accident site signatures were consistent with a collision with trees and subsequent impact with terrain. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The calculated density altitude at the accident site was about 11,329 ft. Review of the Koch chart using the estimated conditions present at the accident site showed about an 80% decrease in the airplane’s published climb performance under these conditions, which would have resulted in a rate of climb of about 150 ft per minute. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s decision to conduct low-altitude flight into mountainous terrain under density altitude conditions that significantly degraded the airplane’s performance, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,273.8 hours in all
- Last flight review: August 17, 2022
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,163.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1O3 Lodi CA
- Destination: TVL South Lake Tahoe NV
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KTVL, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTVL 122153Z AUTO 20006G18KT 10SM CLR 29/05 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP147 T02890050=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 17 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Main wreckage
Photograph 2 – View of the accident site.
Photograph 3 – View of the accident site.
Photograph 4 – View of the recovered engine.
Tealeye Cornejo Air Safety Investigator (Field) AS-WPR The following photos and locations were
Figure 2: Plot of 3 images near the accident site.
Figure 3: Image "A"
Figure 4: Image "C"
Figure 5: Image "D"
Figure 6: Image "E"
Figure 7: Image "F"
Figure 8: Image "G"
Figure 9: Image "H"
Figure 10: Image "I"
Figure 11: Image "J"
Figure 12: Image "K"
Figure 13: Image "L"The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on June 10, 2026. 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 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Site Summary | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Photos - Provided by Family | PDF, 13 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Wreckage Examination Summary | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Performance Summary | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Owner's Handbook of Operation | PDF, 38 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 7 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
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.