20020831024519A

(-23) On 08-31-02 at approximately 1020 hours PDT, Mr. Richard earl bain, a private pilot, was acting as pilot in command of aircraft N87204, an Ercoupe 415-C, with one passenger on board, Mr. Floyd glenn stewart, a student pilot and the owner of the aircraft. About five miles west of the Fresno chandler downtown airport on a forty-five degree approach to the airport traffic pattern down wind, the aircraft engine quit. Mr. Bain made an emergency landing on a road. During the landing roll out, the aircraft left wing struck a mail box on a post. The aircraft then struck a telephone pole, ground looped into soft dirt and came to rest on the edge of a grape vineyard, having struck a grape vine and cement stand poles. There were no injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. (.19) on August 31, 2002, about 1025 pacific daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N87204, made an off field landing following a loss of engine power about 5 miles southeast of Fresno, California. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The private pilot was not injured, and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained subs tantial damage. The personal local flight departed chandler airport (chd) in Fresno about 1015. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that an annual inspection had just been completed on the airplane and he was taking the owner up to check the airplane out. They added about 10 gallons of gasoline to the airplane and departed. They were returning to chd and the engine began to run rough and lose power. They decided to land on a road. The pilot said the touchdown was on the road's centerline. However, the left wing hit a pole and the airplane began to weave. The airplane hit another pole and departed the road into soft dirt. The main landing gear dug into the soft dirt and the prop nosed into the ground. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage.