N29508 is a 1940 Taylorcraft BL-65. It is a fixed-wing single-engine aircraft with 2 seats, powered by a Lycoming 0-145B series rated at 65 horsepower. The registration is active, with the registrant based in Mammoth Lakes, CA. FAA records list it as manufactured in 1940. It has been registered to its current owner since Jan 2022. This page also carries 1 NTSB event.
- 86 years old
- 1 of 136 Taylorcraft BL-65
2022
That's everything on file so far — TailWiki checks the FAA registry daily and adds new entries as N29508's record changes.
The pilot reported that the airplane’s engine lost power during cruise flight over mountainous terrain. He stated that after determining that there were no available emergency landing spots, he decided to bail out. The airplane was destroyed during the impact sequence, and the pilot sustained minor injuries as a result of the parachute jump.
Shortly after the accident, the pilot provided a statement regarding the circumstances to the NTSB and FAA, and in a series of correspondences later stated that he had not been able to locate the airplane wreckage. However, evidence gathered by the NTSB and FAA indicated that the pilot had recovered the airplane from the accident site, destroyed it, and then disposed of the remains.
The case was referred to the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, and in May 2023, the pilot admitted to the US Attorney’s Office that he both intentionally crashed the airplane, and destroyed the evidence. He plead guilty to a felony charge for obstructing a federal investigation by deliberately destroying the airplane wreckage.
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