Ercoupe 415-C N3232H

Summary

On 4 June 2000 at about 14:42 local time, a Ercoupe 415-C registered N3232H was involved in an accident near Joliet, Illinois, 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

4 June 2000 at 14:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Joliet, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Joliet Regional Airport (JOT)

Coordinates

41.5499, -88.1302

Aircraft

Ercoupe 415-C

Registration

N3232H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI00LA162

Nobody was injured.

the engine failure for undetermined reasons. Factors were the low altitude, remedial action not possible by the pilot, and the ditch.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft lost engine power on initial climb following a touch and go. The aircraft was landed on the remaining runway but went off the end and came to rest in a ditch. The pilot said that, at approximately 100 feet above ground level, the engine '... suddenly stopped running.' An instruction manual for the aircraft states that, 'when the throttle is fully closed, carburetor air heat is applied automatically through a linkage connected with the throttle arm. From half throttle to full throttle, cold air is fed automatically to the engine. However, a manual control is also provided and can be used to keep hot air feeding to the carburetor at more than half throttle setting when icing conditions prevail.' A postaccident examination of the aircraft and engine failed to reveal any preexisting anomalies. A weather report for the accident airport reported a temperature of 14 degrees Celsius and a dewpoint of 14 degrees Celsius. A carburetor icing probability chart from Transport Canada indicates that a temperature of 14 degrees Celsius, and a dewpoint of 14 degrees Celsius is in the range of serious carburetor icing potential at any power setting. A Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular states that, 'the effect of throttle icing is a progressive decline in the power delivered by the engine.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.