Ercoupe 415-C N2542H
10 July 2004 · Castaic, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 10 July 2004 at about 18:59 local time, a Ercoupe 415-C registered N2542H, operated by Marc South, was involved in an accident near Castaic, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:59
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Castaic, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 34.5292, -118.6492
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415-C
- Registration
- N2542H
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Marc South
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- La Verne → Rio LInda
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX04LA257
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
a catastrophic engine failure due to oil exhaustion, which was caused by the failure of maintenance personnel to completely tighten the oil screen.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The airplane collided with an automobile and nosed over during a forced landing on an interstate highway following a catastrophic engine failure. The pilot was ferrying the airplane to its new owner. During the ferry flight, the airplane was losing oil so repairs were made. The last maintenance entry made during the en route repairs stated in part, "Recommended new oil tank as soon as possible." The ferry pilot continued, and the recommended installation of a new oil tank was not completed. A few hours south of the airplane's destination, the engine lost power. Post accident examination revealed oil along the underside of the fuselage and approximately 3/4-quart of oil indicated on the dipstick. The number 2 connecting rod had separated and the connecting rod and its crankshaft journal were black and blue in color. The oil screen was removed and it was found to be only finger tight. The routing of the oil travels from the sump, to the oil pump, through the oil screen, to the engine. If the screen is loose then oil has the ability to leak out.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Ercoupe 415 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 2004 | Ercoupe 415-D | Santa Clarita, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Mar 2004 | Ercoupe 415-C | Oakdale, California, United States | Phillip Jolley | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Aug 2003 | Ercoupe 415-C | Saint Johns, Arizona, United States | Robert Greenwade | No injuries | - |
| 4 Apr 2003 | Ercoupe 415-C | Ranger, Texas, United States | Jeff R. Krantz | No injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 2005 | Ercoupe 415-D | Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Feb 2005 | Ercoupe 415-C | Alexandria, Louisiana, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Mar 2004 | Globe GC-1B | Placerville, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 May 2004 | Downer BELLANCA 14-19-2 | Lancaster, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 May 2004 | Beechcraft A60 | Gualala, California, United States | Richard L. Probert | No injuries | - |
| 21 Mar 2004 | Alon A2 | Cameron Park, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 2 Sep 2004 | Cessna 172S | Willits, California, United States | Edward A. Warburton | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 2004 | Cessna 172P | Granada Hills, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |