What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.23) The pilot reported moderate vibrations of the engine at 2500', he said"I tried carburetor heat, but it made no difference". The pilot then diverted toward the rialto airport, rialto, CA. With the engine running rough and loud mechanical noises. The pilot indicated that he was not able to maintain altitude, then the engine lost all power, but the propellor continuing to wind mill. The pilot said"that he was now at 1300' and located a landing site, he touched down on one third the way down the field, consisting of short wet grass, he applied brakes but could not stop before hitting a fence made from wooden railway ties". The pilot reported that he exited the a/c after it stopped and emergency service vehicles arrived within 4 minutes. The a/c received substantial damages, but no injuries were reported by the pilot. (.4)on February 26, 2000, about 1620 hours pacific standard time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N99590, was substantially damaged when it force landed in a field and collided with a fence at San Bernardino, California. The airplane was owned and operated by the private pilot who was not injured. Visual meteorol ogical conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR part 91. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated at riverside, California, at 1600, and was destined for apple valley, California. The pilot reported that the engine began to vibrate during cruise flight, and then quit. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the number 1 engine cylinder's exhaust valve had failed at the neck of the valve. A federal aviation administration inspector stated that the pilot and the airplane were both properly certificated and in compliance with the regulations at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(.23) THE PILOT REPORTED MODERATE VIBRATIONS OF THE ENGINE AT 2500', HE SAID"I TRIED CARBURETOR HEAT, BUT IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE". THE PILOT THEN DIVERTED TOWARD THE RIALTO AIRPORT, RIALTO, CA. WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH AND LOUD MECHANICAL NOISES. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THEN THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER, BUT THE PROPELLOR CONTINUING TO WIND MILL. THE PILOT SAID"THAT HE WAS NOW AT 1300' AND LOCATED A LANDING SITE, HE TOUCHED DOWN ON ONE THIRD THE WAY DOWN THE FIELD, CONSISTING OF SHORT WET GRASS, HE APPLIED BRAKES BUT COULD NOT STOP BEFORE HITTING A FENCE MADE FROM WOODEN RAILWAY TIES". THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE EXITED THE A/C AFTER IT STOPPED AND EMERGENCY SERVICE VEHICLES ARRIVED WITHIN 4 MINUTES. THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGES, BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. (.4)ON FEBRUARY 26, 2000, ABOUT 1620 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN ERCOUPE 415-C, N99590, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AT SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT WHO WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROL OGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, AT 1600, AND WAS DESTINED FOR APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO VIBRATE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, AND THEN QUIT. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 1 ENGINE CYLINDER'S EXHAUST VALVE HAD FAILED AT THE NECK OF THE VALVE. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE PILOT AND THE AIRPLANE WERE BOTH PROPERLY CERTIFICATED AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.