What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 20, 2000, at 1045 CDT, an Ercoupe 415-D single-engine airplane, N99470, was substantially damaged during an approach to the freedom field airport near Lindsay, Texas. The a/c was registered to Mr. Michael d. brown and operated by Mr. Roger d. brown. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from freedom field airport at approximately 1000 CDT.the student pilot reported that while attempting to land on runway 35, the airplane encountered a downdraft. The a/c descended and impacted the top of an embankment located prior to the runway. Examination of the a/c revealed that the nose landing gear was folded aft, the engine mount was fractured, and the firewall and wing spar were structurally damaged.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 20, 2000, AT 1045 CDT, AN ERCOUPE 415-D SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N99470, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN APPROACH TO THE FREEDOM FIELD AIRPORT NEAR LINDSAY, TEXAS. THE A/C WAS REGISTERED TO MR. MICHAEL D. BROWN AND OPERATED BY MR. ROGER D. BROWN. THE STUDENT PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM FREEDOM FIELD AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 CDT.THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 35, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE A/C DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE TOP OF AN EMBANKMENT LOCATED PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE A/C REVEALED THAT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS FOLDED AFT, THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS FRACTURED, AND THE FIREWALL AND WING SPAR WERE STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.