# NTSB ATL06LA049: Ercoupe E, N94840, Wetumpka, AL, March 8, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 7, 2006, 21:30 local (Mar 8, 2006, 03:30 UTC) - Place: Wetumpka, AL - Coordinates: 32.524166, -86.323608 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5242&lon=-86.3236&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Birmingham FSDO-09 - NTSB case key (mKey): 63319 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL06LA049 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63319/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL06LA049 ## Probable cause The failure of the No. 2 exhaust, and intake valves for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a loss of engine power during cruise flight and damage to the airplane during the subsequent forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - failure,total - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - none suitable - terrain condition - ditch - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The pilot stated that while enroute to the Wetumpka Airport at 2,500 feet the engine began to vibrate and stopped. He contacted air traffic control personnel and declared an emergency. The pilot made an emergency landing in an open field where the airplane collided with a ditch on the landing rollout and nosed over inverted. Examination of the engine by an FAA inspector revealed that when the No. 2 upper spark plug was removed it had foreign object damage. A compression check was performed and the No. 2 cylinder had no compression. The crankshaft was rotated and gear and valve train continuity was established. The No. 2 cylinder was removed from the engine case and examination of the cylinder assembly revealed that the exhaust and intake valves were broken. A review of the engine logbook revealed that the new Superior cylinders were installed on December 12, 2000, and had a total operation time of 272 hours since the installation. The No. 2 cylinder, exhaust, intake valves, and piston were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Material Laboratory for further examination. The valves from the No. 2 cylinder were disassembled and visually inspected. The exhaust fracture faces were so heavily damaged by post separation impacts that no original fracture features could be found. The fractures on the intake valve head were only slightly damaged with features consistent with overstress fracturing consistent with low temperature impact loading, secondary to the fracture of the exhaust valve. ## Factual narrative On March 7, 2006, at 2130 central standard time, an Ercoupe E, N94840, registered to and operated by a private owner as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, made a forced landing in a field following loss of engine power near Wetumpka, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot and passenger reported no injuries, and the airplane received substantial damage. The flight originated from Alexander City, Alabama, on March 7, 2006, at 2100. The pilot stated, that while enroute to the Wetumpka Airport at 2,500 feet, the engine began to vibrate and stopped. He contacted air traffic control personnel and declared an emergency. The pilot stated he made an emergency landing in an open field, where the airplane collided with a ditch on landing rollout, and nosed over inverted. Examination of the engine by an FAA inspector revealed that when the No. 2 upper spark plug was removed, it had foreign object damage. A compression check was performed and the No. 2 cylinder had no compression. The crankshaft was rotated and gear and valve train continuity was established. The No. 2 cylinder was removed from the engine case and examination of the cylinder assembly revealed that the exhaust and intake valves were broken. A review of the engine logbook revealed that the new Superior cylinders were installed on December 12, 2000, and had a total operation time of 272 hours since installation. The No. 2 cylinder, exhaust, intake valves, and piston were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Material Laboratory for further examination. The valves from the No. 2 cylinder were disassembled and visually inspected. The exhaust fracture faces were so heavily damaged by post separation impacts that no original fracture features could be found. The fractures on the intake valve head were only slightly damaged with features consistent with overstress fracturing consistent with low temperature impact loading, secondary to the fracture of the exhaust valve. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N94840](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94840-2006-04-19), registration cancelled 2006-04-19, S/N 4913, built 1948 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) E - Registry model: [Ercoupe E](https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-e) (registry code 0420504) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C75 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (registry code 17005, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4913 - Airframe hours: 3159 - Engines: Continental AC75 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: LLoyd J Probst - Registered owner: LLoyd J Probst - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2005, 1,032 hours before - Departed: ALX, Alexander City, AL - Destination: 08A, Wetumpka, AL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 20,000 total, 300 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: MXF, 10 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060307002889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060307002889A), Mar 7, 2006: Univar E, Wetumpka, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) During cruise flight the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power, after unsuccessful attempts to regain power the pilot attempted an emergency… ## Other investigations on N94840 (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 MKC71DCJ29](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC71DCJ29), Dec 3, 1970: Ercoupe 415-E (N94840), Harvard, NE, substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.