Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) ERCOUPE 415C N93783

Summary

On 31 August 2007 at about 15:30 local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) ERCOUPE 415C registered N93783, operated by Utmd, LLC, was involved in an accident near Middletown, Ohio, 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.

Date

31 August 2007 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Middletown, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Hook Field Muni (MWO)

Coordinates

39.5308, -84.3953

Aircraft

Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) ERCOUPE 415C

Registration

N93783

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Utmd, LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Middletown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI07CA293

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper flare and his inadequate recovery from the bounced landing. A contributing factor was the lower than normal airspeed maintained during the final approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot landed hard on runway 5 (6,100 feet by 100 feet, asphalt) while practicing landings in preparation for a sport pilot practical test. He had conducted 3 landings prior to the accident. The pilot noted that he was flying the accident approach at 60 miles-per-hour (mph), instead of his normal approach speed of 70 mph. He recalled winds being from 300 degrees at 8 -10 knots. The pilot stated that as he entered the landing flare, the airplane was right of the runway centerline, at a "very slow" airspeed. He reported that he "put [the] nose down to pick up airspeed and added a little (too little) power." The airplane landed on the nose wheel and bounced. He added power but the airplane hit a second time. The airplane subsequently came to a stop and he taxied to the ramp. The post accident inspection revealed that the nose wheel had fractured and the firewall was damaged. The pilot reported no failures or malfunctions prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.