Ercoupe 415C accident near San Manuel, Arizona, May 15, 2009
On May 15, 2009 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Ercoupe 415C, registered N2339H, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near San Manuel, Arizona (Private Dirt Strip airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power during cruise flight for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2009 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- San Manuel, Arizona · Private Dirt Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415C · all 415Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2339H · no longer on the register · serial 2964
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that while en route on the solo cross-country flight, the engine began to lose power and subsequently quit. He was able to restart the engine, but not able to maintain altitude due to the low power it was producing. The pilot performed an off airport landing and during the landing roll, the airplane struck desert vegetation, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. A postaccident inspection of the engine revealed no mechanical problems that would have precluded normal operation.
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) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 101 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors C-75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Punkin AZ at 5:40 pm
- Destination: E77 San Manuel AZ
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from DMA, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.