Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Whitehall, Montana 59759
Friday, July 9, 2010 15:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed for a local flight with all three fuel tanks full. After 30 minutes into the flight, he was returning for landing when the engine lost power. He made a forced landing in a field; the nose gear collapsed and the firewall sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination revealed that fuel was in the gascolator and carburetor. No anomalies were observed that would have precluded normal operation of the engine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Whitehall
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59759
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 455200N
Event Location Longitude 1120600W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 103
Weather Observation Facility ID KBIL
Elevation of weather observation facility 3652
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 52
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 43
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28314
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2011 2:30PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N87349
NTSB Number WPR10LA343
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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
Aircraft Model 415
Aircraft Series Identifier D
Aircraft Serial Number 522
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jul 1 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 1400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Michael Harrison
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Whitehall
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59759
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Michael Harrison
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Whitehall
Operator State MT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 59759
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Whitehall
Departure State MT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Whitehall
Destination State MT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2011 2:30PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --