Ercoupe FORNEY F-1 N7518C

Summary

On 9 July 2000 at about 22:20 local time, a Ercoupe FORNEY F-1 registered N7518C, operated by Weston H. Moran, was involved in an accident near Leechburg, Pennsylvania, 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

9 July 2000 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Leechburg, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

40.6294, -79.5994

Aircraft

Ercoupe FORNEY F-1

Registration

N7518C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Weston H. Moran

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kent → Gaithersburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC00LA185

Nobody was injured.

A severed oil pressure line, which resulted in an off airport landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight at 5,500 feet (msl), the pilot experienced smoke in the cockpit and noticed the engine oil pressure had dropped to zero. The pilot elected to make a precautionary landing to a grass field. During the approach, the pilot realized the airplane's approach speed was too fast to touchdown on the grass field, and he performed a landing to an adjacent corn field. During the landing, the airplane's left wing and empennage were damaged. Examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane's engine oil pressure line was severed. Oil was found in the engine compartment and streaks of oil were observed on the right side of the fuselage. Additionally, only about 1/2 of a quart of oil remained in the engine's oil sump. No other discrepancies were noted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.