Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

September 28, 2010 · Eccker Hurricane Hauler · N7519W

Jamul, CA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 28, 2010
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Jamul, CA
Aircraft
Eccker Hurricane Hauler
Tail Number
N7519W
Operator
Finck David B
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
WPR10LA477

While in cruise flight, the airplane's engine began to lose power and eventually stopped running. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a fence, substantially damaging the airframe and wings. According to the pilot, the airplane's two-cycle engine is designed to receive lubrication to the piston via engine oil premixed into the automobile gasoline. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed excessive carbon buildup on the piston rings, which more than likely reduced the lubrication between the piston rings and the cylinder wall and led to overheating and a subsequent seizure of the engine.

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of engine power during cruise flight due to engine seizure as a result of lack of lubrication from excessive carbon buildup on the piston rings.

Full Narrative

On September 28, 2010, about 1120 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Eccker Hurricane Hauler, N7519W, impacted a baseball field backstop during a forced landing near Jamul, California. The sport pilot, who was the sole occupant of the airplane, received minor injuries, and the airplane, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage to its airframe and wings. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Nichols Field, near San Diego, California, about 20 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, during cruise flight the engine started to lose power, and eventually the propeller stopped rotating. He therefore executed a power-out forced landing in the playground of a nearby primary school. Although the touchdown was successful, during the landing roll the airplane slid on the damp grass as the pilot tried to apply braking, and eventually it impacted a chain link fence around a baseball field, before the pilot could get it to come to a complete stop. After the accident, the pilot received permission from the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) to disassemble the 2-cycle Rotax engine in order to look for internal failures or anomalies. According to the pilot, there was a heavy accumulation of carbon on the piston rings, which normally receive their lubrication from the 50 to 1 ratio of 2-cycle oil premixed in the gasoline by the pilot. Reportedly, the carbon build-up and a subsequent lack of lubrication resulted in seizure of the engine. Although the pilot felt that the brand of automobile gasoline he was using may have contributed to the carbon build-up, that could not be confirmed. It also could not be confirmed that the pilot had mixed the correct ratio of 2-cycle oil into the gasoline, although he said he had done so.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:20 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftEccker Hurricane Hauler
Tail NumberN7519W
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorFinck David B
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsRotax · 503 DCDI · Reciprocating · 50
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 59 · Sprt · Minor

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data