Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415D N94131

Summary

On 29 December 2007 at about 21:30 local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415D registered N94131 was involved in an accident near Abingdon, Illinois, United States. 2 people were 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.

Date

29 December 2007 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Abingdon, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

40.7997, -90.4386

Aircraft

Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415D

Registration

N94131

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Galesburg → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI08CA056

Nobody was injured.

The loose clamp on the throttle cable which prevented application of engine power. A factor in the accident was the low altitude when the throttle cable slipped.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he performed a fly-by at a restricted landing area and when he applied power the engine did not respond. He attempted a 180 degree turn to land on the runway in the opposite direction, but the right wing tip struck the ground prior to the completion of the turn. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that a clamp attached to the engine mount that secured the throttle cable to the engine mount structure had rotated. This prevented the opening of the carburetor butterfly when the throttle was advanced. Additional information obtained during the investigation revealed that the pilot's most recent application for a medical certificate was denied on November 14, 2003. Federal Aviation Administration regulations state that a person operating a airplane as a light sport aircraft must have been found eligible for the issuance of at least a third-class airman medical certificate at the time of his or her most recent application if that person has applied for a medical certificate in the past. In addition, the accident airplane, an Ercoupe 415D, which has a maximum gross weight of 1,400 pounds, does not comply with the 1,320 pound maximum gross weight limitation prescribed in the regulations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.