# Accident 20100114025969A: Ercoupe 415-D, Napa, CA, January 14, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 14, 2010, 14:30 local time
- Place: Napa, CA
- Airport: Napa County, Ca
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2131° N, 122.2806° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2131&lon=-122.2806&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2332H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2332H-2018-01-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Ercoupe 415-D (registry code 0420326, https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C75 series (registry code 17005, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ERCOUPE 415-D
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 303 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR10LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA111) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100114025969A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT N2332H, ERCOUPE 415D DEPARTED NAPA COUNTY AIRPORT (APC) ON RUNWAY 36 AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 HRS ON 1/14/2010.  AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE RPM SURGE OF 50 TO 100 RPM.  THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO CLIMB WHEN AT 200 FEET AGL THE ENGINE POWER DETERIORATED AND STOPPED PRODUCING POWER.  THE PILOT CONTINUED NORTH AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN AN OPEN FIELD.  THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT FAILED WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL CONTACTED THE MUDDY TERRAIN AND FOLDED BACK BENEATH THE AIRCRAFT SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN. ONE BLADE OF THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE ENGINE NACELLE STRUCK THE GROUND.  THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY.  DURING THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION THE ENGINE MOUNT STRUTS WERE FOUND TO BE BENT AND BROKEN AND THE ENGINE FIREWALL WAS DISTORTED.  ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS BENT AND THE NOSE GEAR STRUT WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED.  THE LOWER FUSELAGE SKIN AND STRUCTURE IN THE NOSE AREA WAS DAMAGED.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING FLOWN FROM NAPA, CA  TO CALAVERAS, CA TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE A PREVIOUS REPORT OF ROUGH ENGINE OPERATION.  THE ENGINE WAS INSPECTED BY THE MECHANIC WHO OVERHAULED THE ENGINE PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE FROM NAPA.  HE CLEARED THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE FLIGHT BECAUSE HE STATED THAT HE HAD FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE 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 WPR10LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA111), Jan 14, 2010: Ercoupe 415-D (N2332H), Napa, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the unintentional movement of the fuel selector valve beyond its stops during takeoff initial climb resulting in restricted fuel flow.

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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