# Accident 19990629007899A: Univar E, Winnemucca, NV, June 29, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 29, 1999, 12:57 local time - Place: Winnemucca, NV - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.1209° N, 118.0507° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1209&lon=-118.0507&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3640H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3640H-2012-10-09) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Ercoupe E (registry code 0420504, https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-e) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental A&C75 series (registry code 17005, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: UNIVAR E - Reported engine: CONT C85* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 78 total, 78 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA233) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990629007899A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 1947 ERCOUPE E ACFT MADE AN OFF-ARPT LANDING FOR UNKNOWN REASONS AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL WING DAMAGE AFTER THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (FROM .19) ON JUNE 29, 1999, AT 1257 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN ERCOUPE E, N3640H, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND FORCE LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD AT WINNEMUCCA, NEVADA. THE AIRCRAFT, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, ORIGINATED AT THE JACKPOT, NEVADA, AIRPORT, AT 1100, AND WAS DESTINED FOR WINNEMUCCA WITH A FINAL DESTINATION OF RENO, NEVADA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS FLYING WITH A GROUP OF OTHER PILOTS. HE STATED THAT ABOUT 13 MILES FROM WINNEMUCCA ABOUT 9,500 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. ABOUT 2 TO 3 MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING. (.4)THE PILOT WAS FLYING ABOUT 6,500 FEET AGL WHEN HIS ENGINE DROPPED TO 500 RPM. HE MANIPULATED THE PRIMER AND THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE. THE ENGINE THEN QUIT. THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE FUEL TANKS WERE ABOUT HALF FULL. THE CARBURETOR WAS EXAMINED FURTHER. WHEN THE CARBURETOR WAS FLOW TESTED, FUEL WAS SEEN DRIPPING FROM THE DISCHARGE NOZZLE AFTER THE FUEL WAS TURNED ON, INDICATING THAT THE FLOAT NEEDLE WAS NOT SEATING PROPERLY, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO RUN EXCESSIVELY RICH. THE FLOAT NEEDLE WAS NOT PROPERLY TORQUED IN THE BOWL ASSEMBLY. FURTHER, SMALL PIECES OF BRASS APPEARED TO HAVE EXFOLIATED AROUND THE TOP OF THE NEEDLE-SEATING SURFACE. THE NEEDLE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN ALTERED FROM ITS ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION. NO OTHER MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE NOTED WITH THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX99LA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA233), Jun 29, 1999: Ercoupe E (N3640H), Winnemucca, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: An improperly installed and maintained float needle in the carburetor, which would not seat sufficiently to stop fuel flow and caused the engine to run excessively rich, resulting in a complete loss… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.