On November 27, 1988, a Luscombe 8E (registration N2301K) operated by Lincoln, Carl was involved in an aviation accident near Port Lavaca, TX. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A non-instrument rated pilot flew into a house at night in foggy conditions; no pre-flight weather briefing was obtained, and toxicology tests revealed the presence of benzoylecgonine and cannabinoids.
Accident Circumstances
According to the investigation, there were no records indicating that the non-instrument rated pilot received a pre-flight weather briefing from any weather reporting service. Witnesses in the area reported that the night was dark and the ground was covered with fog. The airplane's landing light was observed to be on, and the engine power was reduced at the time of the accident. A well-lit causeway, located several blocks away, was present in the direction of travel. The airplane struck the top of a house, impacting at a 45-degree nose-low attitude.
Pilot Information
The pilot was not rated for instrument flight. Toxicology tests were conducted on the pilot following the accident.
Toxicology Results
Toxicology tests revealed the presence of benzoylecgonine in the pilot's urine and a concentration of 0.260 mg/L in his blood. Cannabinoids were also identified in the urine.