# Accident 20080515835839A: Univar 415D, Penngrove, CA, May 15, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 15, 2008, 15:10 local time
- Place: Penngrove, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2997° N, 122.6664° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2997&lon=-122.6664&mi=10
- Aircraft: N99180, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99180) (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 415D
- Reported engine: CONT O200A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 150 total, 100 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX08LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA142) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080515835839A

## Narrative

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

(-23)  PILOT IN COMMAND REPORTED THAT FOLLWING 15 MINUTES OF AIRCRAFT OPERATION THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE GAUGES BECAME ERRATIC AND THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY CUTOUT AND MISFIRED AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 1,400 FT.  FOLLOWING THE EVENT THE PILOT SURVEYED THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTATION AND OBSERVED NO ANOMALIES.  PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE PETALUMA AIRPORT AND DESCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 1,200 FT.  PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,200 FT AND A MILE FROM THE AIRPORT PATTERN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE AND CUTOUT.  THIS LASTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS.  THE AIRCRAFT POWER LOSS RESULTED IN AN ADDITIONAL ALTITUDE LOSS OF 400 FT.  THE PILOT LOCATED AN OPEN ALFALFA FIELD TO LAND AND DURING HIS DESCENT AT 650 FT THE ENGINE FAILED.  PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING WITH NO ENGINE POWER.  DURING THE LANDING ROLL AT 30 MPH SPEED THE AIRCRAFT YAWED 180 DEGREES THE AIRCRAFT TAIL DUG INTO THE FIELD DAMAGING THE REAR TAIL FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY.  THE REAR TAIL WAS OFFSET 3 TO 4 FEET TO THE LEFT OF THE AIRCRAFT CENTER LINE.

## 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 LAX08LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA142), May 15, 2008: Ercoupe 415-C (N99180), Penngrove, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power resulting from frayed magneto "P" leads, which shorted out and killed the ignition system. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced…

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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