Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamburg, Michigan 48139
Saturday, August 25, 1990 16:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CRUISING AT ABOUT 2500 FT MSL THE ENGINE RPM REDUCED TO IDLE. AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH POWER LINES, THEN THE TERRAIN. THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE REMOVED FROM THE WRECKAGE BY THE EMERGENCY CREW USING, 'JAWS OF LIFE'. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A PIECE OF FOREIGN MATERIAL HAD LODGED IN THE MAIN CARBURETOR JET CAUSING THE FUEL RESTRICTION AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POWERPLANT FAILURE DUE TO FOREIGN OBJECT IN THE CARBURETOR RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1620
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HAMBURG
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48139
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 973
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID JXN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 986
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42208
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2977H
NTSB Number CHI90LA243
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 ERCOUPE 415-C
Aircraft Series Identifier ERCOUPE 41
Aircraft Serial Number 3602
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 12 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 1673
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KUSSMAUL, RICHARD R
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1459 S GROVE ST.
Aircraft Owner City YPSILANTI
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48198
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KUSSMAUL, RICHARD R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1459 S. GROVE ST.
Operator City YPSILANTI
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48198
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 45G
Departure City BRIGHTON
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City CLINTON
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --