- Date
- May 17, 1990, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Searcy, AR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2628HErcoupe 415-C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 10, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900517016549A
- Case key
- 34981
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
Pilot impairment from consumption of alcohol, inadequate preflight by the pilot, and fuel contamination with water and dirt (mud) in the system.
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 pilot stated that while flying locally, the engine suddenly lost power. He initiated a landing on a roadway in the middle of a rice field, but during the landing, the aircraft hit an embankment and was damaged. An investigation revealed there was mud and water contamination in the fuel system and strainer. A toxicology test showed the pilot had a blood/alcohol level of 0.18%.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2628H
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3253
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerrell E. Caskey
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 1989
- Departed
- M07 · Searcy, AR
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 290 total · 90 in this make and model · 290 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LIT, 20 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.