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19970729045469A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Univar 415-C · Elma, WA · July 29, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 29, 1997 · 15:00 local
Place
Elma, WA
Airport
Elma Municipal Airport
Phase of flight
Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3578H
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA97LA197
Reported as
Univar 415C
Reported engine
Continental O200A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
120 total60 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days
N3578HRegistration cancelled Jul 11, 2012 · Ercoupe 415-CS/N 4203 · Built 1946Airframe modelErcoupe 415-CEngine modelContinental A&C75 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)On July 29, 1997, approxiamtely 1000 pacific daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N3578H, sustained substantial damage when the pilot lost control while landing on runway 25 at Elma, Washington. The private pilot and her passenger were uninjured. No flight plan was filed for the local flight, and there was no report of the ELT actuating. The airplane departed the runway about 300 feet from the landing end of runway 25. Winds were 180 degrees at 7 knots at the time of the accident, according to an FAA source. The pilot reported the winds as being 250 degrees at 10-15 knots, gusting to 15-20 knots. The occurrence was reported to the FAA on August 20, 1997. A de termination that the damage comprised an accident was determined an August 29, 1997. The pilot stated that she was landing on a narrow runway. When the wheel touched down, she realized an apparent wind gust had forced the aircraft to the left of the cinterline. As she attempted to steer back to the right, the left wing tip struck adjacent shrubbery.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)ON JULY 29, 1997, APPROXIAMTELY 1000 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN ERCOUPE 415-C, N3578H, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE PILOT LOST CONTROL WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 25 AT ELMA, WASHINGTON. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HER PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, AND THERE WAS NO REPORT OF THE ELT ACTUATING. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY ABOUT 300 FEET FROM THE LANDING END OF RUNWAY 25. WINDS WERE 180 DEGREES AT 7 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, ACCORDING TO AN FAA SOURCE. THE PILOT REPORTED THE WINDS AS BEING 250 DEGREES AT 10-15 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 15-20 KNOTS. THE OCCURRENCE WAS REPORTED TO THE FAA ON AUGUST 20, 1997. A DE TERMINATION THAT THE DAMAGE COMPRISED AN ACCIDENT WAS DETERMINED AN AUGUST 29, 1997. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE WAS LANDING ON A NARROW RUNWAY. WHEN THE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN, SHE REALIZED AN APPARENT WIND GUST HAD FORCED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT OF THE CINTERLINE. AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO STEER BACK TO THE RIGHT, THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK ADJACENT SHRUBBERY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA97LA197Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportElma, WAThe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions while landing. A factor was the crosswind.Jul 29, 1997 · Substantial damage