CHI01LA023

Factual narrative

On October 23, 2000, about 1600 central daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-E, N94176, piloted by a commercial pilot, encountered an in-flight loss of engine power and sustained substantial damage on contact with terrain during a forced landing in a plowed field near Minier, Illinois. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot was uninjured. The flight was on initial climbout from the Illinois Valley Parachute Club Airport, near Minier, Illinois and was destined for Capital Airport, near Springfield, Illinois. The pilot stated, "The takeoff went as normal, power from engine was 2350 RPM at full throttle[.] Fuel pressure guage showed 4.5 "(p.s.i.). At 70 M.P.H. climb speed, the engine lost power at approx. 300 ft. A.G.L.[.] Applied carb heat, pumped the throttle, ck. elect. pump on O.K. - no power - turned 45 [degrees] landed. In field. (Plowed fld.)" A Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane. No anomalies were listed in the inspector's statement. All the spark plugs were found covered with "black soot looking deposits." At 1550, the Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal Airport, near Bloomington/Normal, Illinois, weather observation was: Wind 200 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 7 statute miles; sky condition broken 9,000 feet overcast 18,000 feet; temperature 24 degrees C; dew point 16 degrees C; altimeter 30.38 inches of mercury. A copy of a Transport Canada Carburetor Icing chart was reviewed. The temperature and dew point were plotted on the chart and their intersection falls in the moderate icing - cruise power or serious icing - descent power area of the chart. See appended icing chart. The airplane encountered an in-flight loss of engine power and sustained substantial damage on contact with terrain during a forced landing in a plowed field. The pilot was uninjured. The pilot stated, "The takeoff went normal, power from engine was 2350 RPM at full throttle fuel pressure guage showed 4.5 "(p.s.i.). At 70 M.P.H. climb speed, the engine lost power at approx. 300 ft. A.G.L. applied carb heat, pumped the throttle, ck. elect. pump on O.K. - no power - turned 45 [degrees] landed. In field. (Plowed fld.)" An on-scene examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. All the spark plugs were found covered with "black soot looking deposits." The temperature was 24 degrees C and the dew point was 16 degrees C. A copy of a Transport Canada Carburetor Icing chart was reviewed. The temperature and dew point were plotted on the chart and their intersection falls in the moderate icing - cruise power or serious icing - descent power area of the chart. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12