Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C N99483

Summary

On 3 February 1991 at about 23:00 local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C registered N99483, operated by Bill Tyson, was involved in an accident near Pixley, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 February 1991 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Pixley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Pixlely (Q90)

Coordinates

35.9498, -119.3098

Aircraft

Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C

Registration

N99483

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Bill Tyson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX91LA089

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT IN CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE MAKE AND MODEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, WITH A PASSENGER, WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS TO EVALUATE THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO A PURCHASE. THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 4 HOURS IN THE AIRPLANE IN THE PREVIOUS 7 DAYS. ON FINAL APPROACH AFTER EXECUTING SEVERAL TOUCH AND GO'S, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THEN QUIT. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DITCH AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF AN ANNUAL INSPECTION THAT WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE PREVIOUS ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 1988. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING. THE PILOT DID NOT INDICATE THE USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE DESCENT PHASE OF HIS LANDINGS. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.