Ercoupe 415-D N99154

Summary

On 13 December 2008 at about 17:06 local time, a Ercoupe 415-D registered N99154 was involved in an accident near Sebring, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 December 2008 at 17:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Sebring, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.4789, -81.5083

Aircraft

Ercoupe 415-D

Registration

N99154

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Avon Park → Avon Park

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09FA087

2 people died.

The pilot's exceedance of the design stress limitations of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the accident airplane as it performed a low-level, local flight in the vicinity of the passenger's home. The witnesses reported that the airplane entered a high-speed dive before pulling up and rolling steeply left. One of the witnesses reported that both ailerons were "fluttering" just before both wings separated from the fuselage and the airplane broke up. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the wing spar failed in overload at its center, in an aft and downward direction. Though a hole not specified in the design of the airplane was present at the point where the separation of the spar began, its effect on the preaccident structural strength of the spar could not be determined. No corrosion or evidence of a fatigue failure was observed in the vicinity of the initial separation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.