- Date
- October 23, 1983, 11:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- Compton, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3630HErcoupe 415-CD
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831023075069A
- Case key
- 23896
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 acft experienced a total power loss on takeoff & was demolished in the impact sequence & post crash fire. According to several interviewees the pilot had performed extensive non-stc'd modifications to the acft including the fuel system. An 'automotive performance computer' requiring a fuel flow transducer which, according to the manufacturer, would not work on a gravity fed system. A fuel pump found in the wreckage was determined to be a fuel transfer dump designed to reduce the output flow to zero at its maximum output line pressure of 4.5 PSI. The transducer would have reduced the fuel output flow to a 'trickle'.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3630H
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-CD
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4255
- Airframe hours
- 2,922
- Engine
- Continental C90-16F, 95 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph W. Figueras
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 10, 1983 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- Compton, CA
- Airport
- CPM · Compton, runway 25L, 3,670 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,475 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1,425 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LGB, 6 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.