- Date
- February 26, 2000, 16:20 local (Feb 27, 2000, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- San Bernardino, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N99590Ercoupe 415-C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000226004929A
- Case key
- 48718
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the total failure of the engine number 1 cylinder exhaust valve.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The vintage airplane was in cruise flight when the engine began to run roughly, then lost power totally. The pilot performed an off airport landing and collided with a fence. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the number 1 engine cylinder exhaust valve had failed at the valve neck.
Factual narrative
On February 26, 2000, about 1620 hours Pacific standard time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N99590, was substantially damaged when it force landed in a field and collided with a fence at San Bernardino, California. The airplane was owned and operated by the private pilot who was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Riverside, California, at 1600, and was destined for Apple Valley, California.
The pilot reported that the engine began to vibrate during cruise flight, and then quit.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the number 1 engine cylinder's exhaust valve had failed at the neck of the valve.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that the pilot and the airplane were both properly certificated and in compliance with the regulations at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99590
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2213
- Airframe hours
- 2,400
- Engine
- Continental C85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert L. Caspary
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 6, 2000 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- RIR · Riverside, CA
- Destination
- APV · Apple Valley, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 670 total · 135 in this make and model · 600 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ONT, 8 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.