Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415 N87405

Summary

On 13 January 2016 at about 17:35 local time, a Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415 registered N87405, operated by O'Hanlon, John, M., was involved in an accident near Chappell, Nebraska, 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

13 January 2016 at 17:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Chappell, Nebraska, United States

Nearest airport

Billy G Ray Field (CNP)

Coordinates

41.0778, -102.4647

Aircraft

Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415

Registration

N87405

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Engines

1

Operator

O'Hanlon, John, M.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chappell → Chappell

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA105

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inability to correct for a crosswind during the takeoff roll due to the interlinked flight control design, which resulted in a runway excursion, and a collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll with gusting wind, the right wing "lifted up sharply." He reported that at full power he attempted to rotate, the airplane departed the runway to the right, and the left wing impacted a snow bank. When the left wing impacted the snow bank, he reported that the airplane "swung" back to the left, and came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that the airplane is a "standard Ercoupe, with integrated nose-wheel steering, rudder and aileron, and no toe brakes." The pilot additionally stated that, "once the right wing lifted, it didn't matter what I did, the aircraft was going to go off the runway to the right" and that, "without rudder pedals and independent aileron authority to work a crosswind, it was not going to happen." The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.