Engineering & Research 415-C accident near Galion, Ohio, September 9, 2022
On September 9, 2022 at about 10:45 pm local time, a 1946 Engineering & Research 415-C, registered N99209, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Galion, Ohio (Galion Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to an exhaust valve that was stuck in the open position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 2022 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Galion, Ohio · Galion Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Engineering & Research 415-C NO SERIES, built 1946 · all 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N99209 · no longer on the register · serial 1832
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot performed an engine run-up before departure that included a check of the magnetos and carburetor heat, noting normal rpm decreases for each. He initiated the takeoff, noting full rpm during the takeoff roll and normal takeoff distance. On the upwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, when the airplane was about 300 ft above ground level, the engine began to lose power. The pilot lowered the airplane’s nose to maintain airspeed then made a left turn to return to the airport. When the airplane was close to the airport the engine sustained a total loss of power and he realized that the airplane was too high to land on the runway. He flew over and then north of the airport, where he intended to land on an east/west oriented road. The airplane subsequently impacted a powerline pole and came to rest on the road, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and aft empennage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the loss of engine power was a result of the No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve being stuck in the open position. About 32 years before the accident, a reconditioned cylinder was installed at the No. 2 position, there were multiple maintenance record entries associated with the No. 2 cylinder citing either a stuck exhaust valve or work to the cylinder consistent valve problems, the most recent being nearly 3 years and about 63 engine hours earlier. Guidance from the engine manufacturer related to a stuck exhaust valve cited a need to clean the cylinder components and perform dimensional checks of specified components. It did not cite what to do for a repetitive problem.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 102 hours in all; 45 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,883 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 2022; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85-12 (piston); 2,912 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,504 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from KMFD, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMFD 092252Z 12007KT 10SM CLR 26/16 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP160 T02560161=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on January 30, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of NTSB Conversation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Engine Examination Results | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - Engine Logbook Review | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Excerpts from Engine Logbooks | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Excerpt from Engine Manufacturer Standard Practice Maintenance Manual | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15, and NTSB Evidence Control Form | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA22LA412.