What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On December 29, 1998, about 1645 pacific standard time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N99371, incurred an inflight separation of the propeller near san Ysabel, California. The aircraft sustained substantial damage when the nose gear collapsed during the off field forced landing. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight, which originated from ramona, California. No flight plan was filed. (.4)in cruise flight at 4,500 feet, the pilot added power as the terrain began to rise, then the engine started to vibrate. As the pilot looked down to check the mixture and carburetor heat, the vibration intensified. The crankshaft fractured and the propeller separated from the airplane. The pilot subsequently made a forced landing on uneven terrain and the nose gear collapsed. Metallurgical laboratory examination of the remaining crankshaft piece determined the crankshaft separated forward of the oil-slinger flange due to fatigue. The fatigue region had an origin point in an area mechanically damaged during the crankshaft failure. (-23)after takeoff from ramona airport (L39), engine crankshaft failed causing the propeller to seperate from the aircraft and strike the left wing near the tip. Aircraft made an emergency landing in field. No injuries reported. Propeller not found. Additional damage sustained to left wing, nose gear/door and lower engine area.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON DECEMBER 29, 1998, ABOUT 1645 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN ERCOUPE 415-C, N99371, INCURRED AN INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER NEAR SAN YSABEL, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE OFF FIELD FORCED LANDING. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED FROM RAMONA, CALIFORNIA. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (.4)IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 4,500 FEET, THE PILOT ADDED POWER AS THE TERRAIN BEGAN TO RISE, THEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO VIBRATE. AS THE PILOT LOOKED DOWN TO CHECK THE MIXTURE AND CARBURETOR HEAT, THE VIBRATION INTENSIFIED. THE CRANKSHAFT FRACTURED AND THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A FORCED LANDING ON UNEVEN TERRAIN AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. METALLURGICAL LABORATORY EXAMINATION OF THE REMAINING CRANKSHAFT PIECE DETERMINED THE CRANKSHAFT SEPARATED FORWARD OF THE OIL-SLINGER FLANGE DUE TO FATIGUE. THE FATIGUE REGION HAD AN ORIGIN POINT IN AN AREA MECHANICALLY DAMAGED DURING THE CRANKSHAFT FAILURE. (-23)AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RAMONA AIRPORT (L39), ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FAILED CAUSING THE PROPELLER TO SEPERATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND STRIKE THE LEFT WING NEAR THE TIP. AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN FIELD. NO INJURIES REPORTED. PROPELLER NOT FOUND. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO LEFT WING, NOSE GEAR/DOOR AND LOWER ENGINE AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.