Luscombe 8 accident near Placerville, California, April 18, 2025
On April 18, 2025 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1947 Luscombe 8, registered N1286B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Placerville, California (Swansboro Country 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 directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 2025 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · Swansboro Country · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8 A, built 1947 · all 8s on the register
- Registration
- N1286B · registry record · serial 5913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that while on final for the runway, about 10 ft above ground level, the airplane sank and hit the runway. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the left, exited the runway, and impacted trees before it came to rest nose low, adjacent to the runway. Both wings and the fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 9 and the wind was light and variable.
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 control on ground during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 17,577 hours in all; 36.5 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 17,577 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,257 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 2025; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 5,320 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DWA Woodland CA at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09/2, 3,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from KPVF, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPVF 181915Z AUTO 30006KT 10SM CLR 13/07 A3001 RMK AO1
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 3, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.