# NTSB CHI02LA281: Ercoupe 415-CD, N3989H, Effingham, IL, September 15, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 15, 2002, 08:15 local (13:15 UTC) - Place: Effingham, IL - Coordinates: 39.110282, -88.550239 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1103&lon=-88.5502&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-Springfield FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55715 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA281 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55715/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA281 ## Probable cause The partial loss of engine power due to the seized exhaust valve. A factor was the soft field. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, takeoff - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - seized (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage when it had a loss of engine power after takeoff and nosed over during a forced landing to a cornfield. The pilot reported that the preflight, engine start, and taxi were normal. He reported the airplane climbed to about 300 feet agl when it started to lose power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a cornfield. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that an engine exhaust valve was stuck in the open position. ## Factual narrative On September 15, 2002, at 0815 central daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-CD, N3989H, sustained substantial damage when it had a partial loss of engine power after takeoff and nosed over during a forced landing to a cornfield. The commercial pilot and the passenger were not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight was departing from runway 29 (5,100 feet by 75 feet) at the Effingham County Memorial Airport (1H2), Effingham, Illinois. The final destination was Santa Monica, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was purchased on September 13, 2002. The airplane received an annual maintenance inspection on September 13, 2002, prior to the sale of the airplane. The pilot reported that he and the new owner picked the airplane up at Chapin Field (1B8), Cambridge, New York, and intended to fly the airplane to Santa Monica, California. They departed 1B8 and flew to Ithica (ITH), New York, on the first day of the flight. They flew to 1H2 on their second day of the flight. The pilot reported the flights were uneventful. The pilot reported the following information concerning the accident flight: "Fueling, preflight, including gas sampling, were normal. Engine start & taxi were normal, however while back taxiing on runway 29, I pulled the Carb. Heat & the engine noticeably ran better. Mag check and run up were normal, minimal differential when carb. heat checked...On take off carb. heat was placed on. The ground run was acceptable & a positive rate of climb was established. At 300 feet +/-, I pushed in the Carb. heat. With no change in engine sound the aircraft began to sink soon after. Prior to touchdown I pulled the power off to minimize engine damage. Landing in a cornfield a few hundred yards from the runway followed...Touch down was on the main landing gear followed by a nose over as the nose wheel dug into the soft dirt." A Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector conducted a post-accident examination of the airplane. He reported that an engine exhaust valve was stuck open. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3989H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3989H), registered now, S/N 4690, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-CD - Registry model: [Engineering & Research 415-CD](https://openairdocs.org/model/engineering-research-415-cd) (registry code 0420304) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C85 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (registry code 17008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4690 - Airframe hours: 1200 - Engines: Continental O-200 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: E. L. Evans - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 13, 2002 - Departed: 1H2, EFFINGHAM, IL - Destination: SMO, SANTA MONICA, CA - Airport: 1H2, Dummy, runway 29, 5,100 × 75 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review July 18, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 5,000 total, 50 in this make and model, 5,000 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,900 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: 1H2 ## 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 20020915038259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020915038259A), Sep 15, 2002: Univar 415CD, Effingham, IL, Substantial damage. (-23) At approximately 0910, aircraft departed runway 29 and reached an altitude of 100 feet. At this point the aircraft started descending into a corn field.… 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.