Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belleville, Illinois 62220
Thursday, September 28, 1995 9:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER WHILE CRUISING AT 1700 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING TO A CORN FIELD. ON APPROACH, THE LANDING GEAR OF THE AIRPLANE CAUGHT ON SOME POWERLINES. THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN, STRUCK A ROAD AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED OIL STREAKED DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE BEGINNING JUST AFT OF THE ENGINE COWLING. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A RUPTURE IN AN OIL PRESSURE LINE LEADING TO THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER. THE NUMBER 1 AND 2 INTAKE VALVES WERE FOUND STUCK OPEN DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the rupture of the oil pressure line which led to oil system exhaustion, the stuck intake valves, and the powerlines.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/28/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BELLEVILLE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62220
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 755 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID BVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 453
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 211
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 945
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 28 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 935
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N89331
NTSB Number CHI95LA334
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.)
Aircraft Model 415-D
Aircraft Series Identifier 415-D
Aircraft Serial Number 3269
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 10 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1744
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT G. SCHACHT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 28 PRESIDENT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City O'FALLON
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63366
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 3SQ
Departure City ST. CHARLES
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code H13
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --