2 NTSB investigated crashes involving Ercoupes at Sebring in the last year.
*Current
Synopsis*
*PDF
Report(s)
(Published)
*
*Event
Date*
*Probable
Cause Released*
*Location*
*Make / Model*
*Regist.
Number*
*Event
Severity*
*Type of Air Carrier Operation
and Carrier Name (Doing Business As)*
Preliminary <brief.asp?ev_id=20090125X01122&key=1>
Preliminary <GenPDF.asp?id=ERA09FA141&rpt=p>(2/19/2009)
1/25/2009
Sebring, FL
Remos Aircraft GmbH Remos GX
N9GX
Fatal(1)
Part 91: General Aviation
Preliminary <brief.asp?ev_id=20081213X62443&key=1>
Preliminary <GenPDF.asp?id=ERA09FA087&rpt=p>(12/26/2008)
12/13/2008
Sebring, FL
ERCOUPE 415-D
N99154
Fatal(2)
Part 91: General Aviation
Probable Cause <brief.asp?ev_id=20080923X01521&key=1>
Factual <GenPDF.asp?id=NYC08CA297&rpt=fa>(9/23/2008) ,
Probable Cause <GenPDF.asp?id=NYC08CA297&rpt=fi>(9/26/2008)
8/29/2008
9/26/2008
Sebring, FL
Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C
N87376
Nonfatal
The 8-29-2008 event was attributed to a bird strike on the propellor.
The findings on the 12/13/2008 fatal event only gives facts at this
point. They suggest the possibility of pushing the plane too hard. A
witness, a commercial pilot, gave the following statement:
The witness stated that the engine sound was smooth, continuous, and
sounded as if the engine was being "over-sped," as if the engine were at
full power and the airplane was in a high speed dive. When he looked up,
he saw the airplane pitching up and rolling into a steep left bank, and
initially thought that the pilot was attempting to perform a
"barrel-roll or a slow roll." From his position, he could see the bottom
of the airplane, as well as both wings, as the airplane traveled north.
He additionally noted that while the airplane was banking, both ailerons
were "fluttering" at a high frequency. The bank angle increased to
almost 90 degrees, when the left wing of the airplane "folded back" and
separated from the fuselage. The airplane then pivoted about the lateral
axis 90 degrees, and the right wing then separated from the fuselage
along with a portion of the cabin. The wings "fluttered” or "twirled" to
the ground, while the portion of the cabin continued forward and down to
the ground. He recalled hearing three distinct "thuds" as the pieces of
the airplane impacted the ground.
Jim H.
