Pilot Debrief

LUSCOMBE 8 near Lincoln, CA — 2011-08-18

Final reportWPR11LA416
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Date
2011-08-18
Location
Lincoln, CA, USA
Airport
LHM
Aircraft
LUSCOMBE 8
Registration
N45725
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1

Probable cause

The passenger's accidental fall while turning the propeller by hand to start the engine.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, the passenger was turning the propeller by hand to start the engine (hand-propping) when the engine “kicked back.” The passenger lost his balance, slipped, and fell to the pavement, striking his head. The pilot stated that after the fall the passenger said that he felt fine and that, en route to their destination, the passenger talked as he normally did. The pilot learned that, two days after the passenger suffered the fall, his wife had him admitted to the local hospital and that, the following day, the passenger had succumbed to what the local medical examiner described as a subdural hematoma as a result of an accidental fall.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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