# Accident 20020526009739A: Univar 415C, Hinton, OK, May 26, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 26, 2002, 14:43 local time
- Place: Hinton, OK
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.5058° N, 98.3422° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5058&lon=-98.3422&mi=10
- Aircraft: N99044, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N99044-2008-04-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Ercoupe 415-C (registry code 0420322, https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C75 series (registry code 17005, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: UNIVAR 415C
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA160) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020526009739A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON MAY 26, 2002, AT 1443 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN ERCOUPE (ENG & RESEARCH CORP.) 415-C SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N99044, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR HINTON, OKLAHOMA. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED A SERIOUS INJURY AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ANADARKO, OKLAHOMA, AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION INDICATES THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT THE CENTER FUEL TANK QUANTITY GAUGE INDICATED "ZERO." HE THEN LOOKED AT THE LEFT WING FILLER CAP AND OBSERVED FUEL SIPHONING OUT OF THE TANK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO PASTURE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A DITCH, WHICH SEPARATED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR, PARTIALLY SEPARATED THE LEFT WING, AND BENT THE RIGHT WING.                                                                                                          (-23) PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED PRIVATE STRIP NEAR VERDEN, OK FOR A PLEASURE FLIGHT. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FLOAT GAUGE IN THE FUSELAGE TANK WAS SHOWING NO FUEL. HE THEN LOOKED OUT AT THE LEFT WING AND SAW FUEL SIPHONING OUT OF THE FUEL CAP. HE BEGAN TO LOOK FOR A LANDING AREA WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A PASTURE. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH, KNOCKING THE NOSE GEAR FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN WENT UP A SLIGHT EMBANKMENT AT AN ANGLE CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO BE PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND 180 DEGREES, AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 53 FEET FROM THE POINT OF INITIAL TOUCHDOWN. INSPECTION REVEALED NO FUEL IN ANY OF THE TANKS.

## 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 FTW02LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA160), May 26, 2002: Ercoupe 415-C (N99044), Hinton, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to a fuel cap leak. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

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.

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