Ercoupe 415G accident near Santiam, Oregon, January 20, 2001
On January 20, 2001 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Ercoupe 415G, registered N94432, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santiam, Oregon (Santiam Junction State 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
The partial blockage of the carburetor main metering jet orifice by contamination of undetermined origin. Factors include a snow-covered runway upon which the pilot executed a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 2001 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santiam, Oregon · Santiam Junction State Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415G · all 415Gs on the register
- Registration
- N94432 · registry record · serial 5078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route at cruise power, the aircraft's engine began to lose power. Soon thereafter the engine slowed to idle rpm, and the pilot elected to make an emergency landing at a nearby snow-covered Oregon State Airport. Although the touchdown was successful, during the landing roll, the aircraft nosed over in the two-foot deep snow. A post-accident carburetor teardown revealed that the orifice to the main metering jet was partially plugged by a putty-like contaminant.
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(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL during cruise
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- NOSE OVER during landing - roll
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 2, 1999
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,898 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, September 10, 2000; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: 7S5 Independence OR at 9:35 pm
- Destination: S39 Prineville OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 SEA01LA040.