Two lives were lost when an aircraft that had been reported as being late for arrival crashed near South Lake Tahoe in California on the afternoon of June 13th. The overdue aircraft was reported to the Alpine County Sheriff’s officers after midnight.
Luther Pass, a mountainous area about ten miles south of South Lake Tahoe, was marked by the Luscombe 8A aircraft’s GPS transponder as its location.
The responding deputies found a single-engine aircraft that had crashed next to Willow Creek Road. In the end, two individuals were determined to have died. Around 5:30 a.m., search teams discovered the debris from a single-engine Luscombe 8A, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Manufactured from 1938 to 1960, the Luscombe 8A was a widely used general aviation aircraft for both recreational and instructional purposes due to its low price, simple design, and widespread availability. This plane has two seats, a high wing, one engine, and regular landing gear.
The FAA said that the jet took off from Lodi Airport on Wednesday afternoon. Police have said that they would not release the names of the victims until their relatives have been contacted. The coroner’s inquiry is being supervised by officers from the Alpine County Sheriff’s Office.
A number of precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of small planes flying near Lake Tahoe.
Because of the close proximity of the Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL), drones, and small planes flying at low altitudes, the City of South Lake Tahoe needs to coordinate the activities of drones and light aircraft. Drones and small aircraft are required to get FAA clearance to operate in some restricted airspace zones near the airport.
Pilots operating recreational drones and light aircraft must follow airspace rules and restrictions around airports such as Lake Tahoe Airport. They must also pass an exam and receive the necessary authorizations. For airspace permission, they must use the FAA’s LAANC system.
Three federal agencies are looking into the incident: the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
