Accident Overview
On June 12, 2024, at 1525 Pacific daylight time, a Luscombe 8A aircraft, registration N37081, was substantially damaged in an accident near South Lake Tahoe, California. The airplane was engaged in a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot and a passenger sustained fatal injuries.
Sequence of Events
The flight became the subject of an alert notice (ALNOT) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration after a concerned family member reported that the pilot and passenger had not arrived at their intended destination, Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL). Family members stated they had spoken with the pilot earlier in the day, who indicated they were running late and expected to arrive at TVL around 1530.
The following morning, local law enforcement located the airplane in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest at an elevation of 8,000 ft mean sea level, approximately 10 miles south of TVL.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane came to rest inverted in a clearing on a magnetic heading of 333°, about 75 yards from a service road. The first identified point of contact was a 75-ft tall tree that had missing limbs and a portion of the tree trunk, which were found within the debris path. Approximately 25 ft from that point, a portion of the empennage and tail section was lodged in the top of a tree about 15 ft tall. The main wreckage was located about 10 ft beyond that tree. All major structural components of the airplane were distributed throughout the debris path.
Recovery
The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.