Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-D N3942H

Summary

On 20 March 2008 at about 21:30 local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-D registered N3942H, operated by Franklyn C Freeman, was involved in an accident near Riverside, 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.

Date

20 March 2008 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Riverside, California, United States

Nearest airport

Flabob (RIR)

Coordinates

33.9889, -117.4100

Aircraft

Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-D

Registration

N3942H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Franklyn C Freeman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Riverside → Santa Monica

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX08CA094

Nobody was injured.

Water contamination of the fuel system due to the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to adequately drain the water from the fuel system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot fueled the airplane, sumped the wing tanks, and departed. The engine lost power at the end of the runway on climb out. He made a forced landing on the grass infield of the airport. The nose wheel went into a gopher hole, and the airplane nosed forward. Post crash examination established that the firewall sustained damage. The pilot reported that he also found water in the gascolator, and that the water most likely got into the fuel system during recent rains. He opined that a more thorough preflight could have prevented the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.