Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-D accident near Belleville, Illinois, September 28, 1995
On September 28, 1995 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-D, registered N89331, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belleville, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the rupture of the oil pressure line which led to oil system exhaustion, the stuck intake valves, and the powerlines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 1995 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belleville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-D
- Registration
- N89331 · no longer on the register · serial 3269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 747 hours in all; 439 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 718 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,744 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1995; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3SQ St. Charles MO at 2:00 pm
- Destination: H13
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from BVL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N89331 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI95LA334.