# NTSB LAX08LA142: Ercoupe 415-C, N99180, Penngrove, CA, May 15, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 15, 2008, 15:10 local (22:10 UTC) - Place: Penngrove, CA - Coordinates: 38.29972, -122.666389 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2997&lon=-122.6664&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 68021 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX08LA142 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68021/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA142 ## 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 landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: scheduled/routine inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061520): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Ercoupe 415-C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061520/cases.md?model=0420322), [All aircraft, 167 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061520/cases.md) - [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Ercoupe 415-C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=0420322), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md) - [Ignition system: ignition power supply](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057410): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Ercoupe 415-C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057410/cases.md?model=0420322), [All aircraft, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057410/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Ercoupe 415-C, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0420322), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Ercoupe 415-C, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0420322), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During cruise flight, the airplane's engine lost total power and the pilot executed a forced landing in an alfalfa field. During the landing roll in the 2 to 3-foot-tall grass, the airplane skidded sideways and the tail dug into the ground. The airplane's tail cone was buckled, and the right vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors found that both magnetos had frayed primary wires ("P" leads) at the magnetos, which could have been shorting out and intermittently killing the ignition system. They noted numerous additional maintenance discrepancies with the airplane; however, none of these would have contributed to a loss of engine power. According to the inspectors, the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed about 2 months before the accident. The maintenance discrepancies found by the FAA inspectors, including the frayed "P" leads, should have been repaired during this annual inspection. ## Factual narrative On May 15, 2008, about 1510 Pacific daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N99180, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power in Penngrove, California. The sport pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was being operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local personal flight departed from the Petaluma Municipal Airport, Petaluma, California, about 1450. According to Sonoma County Sheriff's Department personnel, the pilot reported that while in cruise flight he noticed the oil pressure gauge begin to fluctuate erratically. The needle on the gauge "began to bounce up and down," and seconds later, the engine "began to cut out and sputter." The pilot headed back towards Petaluma Airport. However, the engine lost total power, and the pilot executed a forced landing in an alfalfa field about 4.5 miles northwest of the airport. During the landing roll in the 2- to 3-foot-tall grass, the airplane skidded sideways and the tail dug into the ground. The airplane's tail cone was buckled, and the right vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent. The airplane was examined by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors. The inspectors found that both magnetos had frayed primary wires ("P" leads) at the magnetos, which could have been shorting out and intermittently killing the ignition system. They noted numerous additional maintenance discrepancies with the airplane; however, none of these would have contributed to a loss of engine power. According to the inspectors, the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on March 19, 2008. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99180](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99180), registered now, S/N 1803, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C - Registry model: [Ercoupe 415-C](https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-c) (registry code 0420322) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C75 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (registry code 17005, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1803 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Anthony J. Toni - Registered owner: James C. Grimes - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2008 - Departed: O69, Petaluma, CA - Destination: O69 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review February 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 4,300 total, 66 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °F ## 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 20080515835839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080515835839A), May 15, 2008: Univar 415D, Penngrove, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot in command reported that follwing 15 minutes of aircraft operation the aircraft engine oil pressure and temperature gauges became erratic and the… 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.