Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-CD N3871H
29 December 1989 · Lizton, Indiana, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 29 December 1989 at about 14:00 local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-CD registered N3871H, operated by ORR, ROY A., was involved in an accident near Lizton, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Lizton, Indiana, United States
- Nearest airport
- Haffner (NONE)
- Coordinates
- 39.8803, -86.5406
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-CD
- Registration
- N3871H
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- ORR, ROY A.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Lizton → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI90LA057
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS OF THE PILOT, TERRAIN CONDITION AND FENCE ON OR NEAR THE AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN AIRSPEED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF HE 'APPLIED FULL POWER, AIRPLANE TRAVELLED ACROSS THREE AREAS OF SNOW....FAILED TO OBTAIN FLYING SPEED...CONTACTED FENCE AND DITCH.' THE RUNWAY IN USE WAS A 1,550 FOOT LONG, SNOW-COVERED GRASS STRIP; THE PILOT STATED 'I KNEW BETTER, AND I SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR BETTER RUNWAY CONDITIONS. I JUST SCREWED UP.' THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE HIS AIRCRAFT FROM HIS EX-WIFE'S PROPERTY BECAUSE HE WAS 'CONCERNED WITH DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT BY OTHER PARTIES....' THE COMMERCIALLY CERTIFICATED PILOT INDICATED A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 1,600 HOURS, OF WHICH 1,500 HOURS WERE IN SINGLE-ENGINE AIRCRAFT. HE REPORTED THREE HOURS FLIGHT TIME IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT, ALL WITHIN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 1989 | Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415D | Vancouver, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 May 1989 | Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-C | Troy, North Carolina, United States | Morgan, Kenneth H. | Fatal | 1 |
| 2 Jul 1989 | Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C | Ennis, Montana, United States | Smith, Walter, J | No injuries | - |
| 24 May 1988 | Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-C | Whiteville, North Carolina, United States | Bennie J. Ward | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Jun 1988 | Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C | Steep Falls, Maine, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Aug 1988 | Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-C | Springfield, Missouri, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 1989 | Beechcraft A36TC | Greencastle, Indiana, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 5 Sep 1989 | Boeing 767-231 | Knox, Indiana, United States | Trans World Airlines Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Jan 1989 | Piper PA-28-180 | Valparaiso, Indiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Oct 1989 | Bell 47G-2A-1 | Plymouth, Indiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Mar 1989 | Cessna 150L | Sellersburg, Indiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1989 | Beechcraft 95-B-55 | Crothersville, Indiana, United States | Casebolt, FON | Minor injuries | - |