History of Flight
On September 7, 2015, at 0958 Pacific daylight time, a Silvaire Luscombe 8A, registration N4948E, was destroyed when it impacted terrain and was subsequently consumed by a postcrash fire. The accident occurred just after takeoff from Hobby Field Airport (77S) in Creswell, Oregon. The commercial pilot and a private pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
A flight instructor inside a building at the airport heard a radio call from the accident airplane over the common traffic advisory frequency, indicating that the airplane was experiencing a fire and would return for an emergency landing. The instructor looked out the window and observed the airplane near the departure end of runway 33 in a steep left bank, then saw the nose "drop." He lost sight of the airplane behind a row of trees and called 911. Upon arriving at the site, the wreckage was on fire, and by the time emergency responders arrived about 3 minutes later, the airplane was "largely consumed" by fire.
A mechanic at the airport heard a loud "pop" followed by a loss of engine power. He observed the airplane enter a left turn from the upwind leg of the traffic pattern at about 200 feet altitude. The airplane appeared to stall, and he lost sight of it behind a tree line.
Two witnesses north of the airport observed the airplane depart runway 33. One witness said his attention was drawn to the airplane as it entered a "roll" just after takeoff, appeared to "nose dive" into the ground, and subsequently caught fire. Another witness, a rated pilot, heard the engine lose power, then observed the airplane enter a left turn that he perceived as an emergency 180-degree return to the runway. The airplane appeared to lose airspeed as the left wing "dropped abruptly," and the airplane entered a steep nose-down attitude before ground contact. None of the witnesses observed smoke or fire prior to impact.
Personnel Information
The 35-year-old pilot seated in the left seat held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multi- and single-engine land and instrument airplane, and a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and instrument. His most recent FAA medical certificate was issued on March 20, 2009. Personal flight logs indicated about 1,400 total hours of flight experience, though recent experience could not be determined. He was not required to hold a medical certificate as the airplane met light sport aircraft requirements.
The 83-year-old pilot-rated passenger held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He did not hold an FAA medical certificate. His logbook showed about 967 total hours, with about 3 hours in the 12 months prior to the accident.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, high-wing, tailwheel-equipped airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate in 1960 and was registered to the owner in September 2011. It was equipped with a Continental Motors A&C65 series 65-hp reciprocating engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed on August 31, 2015, at which time the airplane had 1,832.3 total hours and the engine 680.3 hours since overhaul. The accident flight was the first flight after the annual inspection.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest upright on airport property about 400 feet west of the departure end of runway 33, on a magnetic heading of about 61 degrees. The airplane remained largely intact, but the wings, forward fuselage, and cockpit area were entirely consumed by postcrash fire; the aft fuselage displayed thermal damage. The empennage was relatively undamaged except for thermal damage to the underside of the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator. Soot on the fuselage and empennage showed no streaking patterns. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all controls to the cockpit. The fuel selector was in the "on" position. The single fuel tank had been ejected from the airplane and contained a small amount of fuel. Cockpit instruments were unreadable due to impact and thermal damage.
The wreckage was recovered for engine examination. The wooden propeller showed impact and thermal damage, with less than one foot of each blade remaining at the hub. The propeller remained attached to the engine. Cylinders were attached and relatively undamaged except the #4 cylinder, which had a radial fracture around the cylinder head. The cylinder was removed; the piston and cylinder showed normal wear. Spark plugs from cylinders #1-3 showed normal wear. The carburetor was separated from its mount but remained attached at the air intake; it contained no fuel. The fuel inlet screen was debris-free. The gascolator bowl, screen, and fuel primer line were destroyed by fire. The oil filter screen was debris-free, but smooth, round pieces of metal consistent with molten solder were found in the oil filter screen port. Both magnetos had significant thermal damage and could not be rotated; accessory drive continuity was confirmed.
The #4 cylinder was sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for metallurgical analysis. Visual examination revealed multiple cracks in the cast aluminum head, including a fractured intake valve port. The push rod tube for the exhaust valve was bent. The exhaust pipe was compressed against the pushrod housing. The inner face of the steel cylinder portion had no crack. The valve heads were intact. Fracture faces showed rough grain texture consistent with overstress separation in aluminum casting, with no evidence of fatigue cracking.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies conducted by the Oregon State Medical Examiner listed the cause of death for both occupants as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing on the commercial pilot was negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and all tested-for drugs. Testing on the passenger was positive for amitriptyline, nortriptyline, oxycodone, and oxymorphone in liver and/or blood.