Optical observations of an SN 2002cx-like peculiar supernova SN 2013en in UGC 11369

We present optical observations of an SN 2002cx-like supernova SN 2013en in UGC 11369, spanning from a phase near maximum light (<it>t</it> = + 1 d) to <it>t</it> = + 60 d with respect to the <it>R</it>-band maximum. Adopting a distance modulus of μ = 34.11 ± 0.15 mag and a total extinction (host galaxy+Milky Way) of <it>A</it><inf>V</inf> ≈ 1.5 mag, we found that SN 2013en peaked at <it>M<inf>R</inf></it> ≈ −18.6 mag, which is underluminous compared to the normal SNe Ia. The near maximum spectra show lines of Si <scp>ii</scp>, Fe <scp>ii</scp>, Fe <scp>iii</scp>, Cr <scp>ii</scp>, Ca <scp>ii</scp> and other intermediate-mass and iron group elements which all have lower expansion velocities (i.e. ∼ 6000 km s− 1). The photometric and spectroscopic evolution of SN 2013en is remarkably similar to those of SN 2002cx and SN 2005hk, suggesting that they are likely to be generated from a similar progenitor scenario or explosion mechanism.