1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse: Case Study

Overview

 

Collision damage was limited. Some roof crush from the rollover was evident.

A 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse was traveling eastbound on a two-lane road in mid afternoon. There were no known adverse road conditions at the time of the incident. The driver said he was traveling 70-75 mph. He pulled off to the right on a gravel shoulder to allow an ambulance the right of way, and lost control of the vehicle at the edge of the roadway. The driver steered left to re-enter the roadway and overcorrected with a right steer; the vehicle left the right side of the roadway and the undercarriage struck culvert. The vehicle rolled, coming to rest on its roof off the roadway. A passing motorist stopped and informed the driver that the vehicle was on fire. The driver exited the vehicle through the door then walked away from vehicle and lay down due to back pain. The driver was the only occupant in the vehicle.

The driver first turned and observed the fire after he walked approximately 15 to 20 feet away from the vehicle. He said he saw the fire in the center of the (upside down) vehicle toward the front of the car. The fire was accompanied by smoke. By the time the driver walked approximately 50 feet and laid down, a passerby with a fire extinguisher extinguished the fire.

There was no fire or collision damage evident in the upper engine compartment.

Vehicle Damage
Impact with the culvert and subsequent rollover severely damaged the front suspension, engine oil pan and exhaust system. The right front suspension strut was pulled from its upper mount. The oil pan was breached and spilled its contents onto the exhaust pipe located adjacent to the oil pan. Black oil was observed on the grass in the culvert two days after the incident. Portions of the exhaust pipe including the catalytic converter were missing and appear to have been separated from the vehicle as a result of the impact with the culvert. Other collision damage to the vehicle was confined to the front fascia (bumper area), roof, rear fenders and tail lamps.

Injuries
This vehicle is equipped with a 2 point, motorized shoulder belt and manual lap belt restraint system. The occupant was wearing the shoulder belt portion of the system only at the time of the incident. The driver was taken by ambulance for emergency room treatment and released. Injuries included pulled back muscles, a bruised left knee and scratched left foot.

Fire Damage, Location and Propagation
Post fire damage on the vehicle was minimal. From witness accounts and inspection of the vehicle, the fire was confined to the area of the exhaust system adjacent to the oil pan. No other heat damage was evident on the vehicle.