Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-C N87376

Summary

On 29 August 2008 at about 16:20 local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-C registered N87376 was involved in an accident near Sebring, Florida, 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 August 2008 at 16:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Sebring, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Sebring Regional Airport (SEF)

Coordinates

27.4797, -81.3250

Aircraft

Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-C

Registration

N87376

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sebring → Ft. Pierce

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08CA297

Nobody was injured.

A bird strike which substantially damaged the propeller and required the engine to be secured. Contributing to the accident was the damaged propeller.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the Ercoupe 415-C stated that while on climb out at approximately 1,300 feet, he noticed wood pieces and feathers coming into the cockpit through the open canopy, and "an extreme vibration ensued throughout the airplane." The pilot shut down the engine, and performed an emergency landing in a pasture. The airplane subsequently impacted a shallow ditch that was obscured by tall grass. The nose gear collapsed, the right wing spar bent aft, and the firewall buckled. The airplane was equipped with a two blade Sensenich wooden propeller; after the accident the pilot reported that "one blade was splintered." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the event, which was determined to be a bird strike.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.