Luscombe 8 N2435K accident near Twentynine Palms, California

Probable cause

A loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB analysis

Before departure, the pilot refueled the right wing tank with 11.34 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel; the left wing tank contained 12.5 gallons at the time of takeoff. After taking off and while in a shallow climb, the engine lost power. The pilot reported that after switching tanks and confirming that the mixture was FULL RICH, there was no change in the power. He then selected a dirt road and made an emergency landing during which the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. During the onsite postaccident examination on the day after the accident, no fuel was present at the accident site; however fuel could drain from the filler cap. Examination of the engine found no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The investigation was unable to determine the cause of the loss of engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR12LA264 for the full record.