# Accident 20040505009259A: Univar ERCOUPEG, Colorado Sprin, CO, May 5, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 5, 2004, 11:05 local time
- Place: Colorado Sprin, CO
- Airport: Meadow Lake Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9458° N, 104.5697° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9458&lon=-104.5697&mi=10
- Aircraft: N94405, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94405-2007-04-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Ercoupe G (registry code 0420722, https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-g) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: UNIVAR ERCOUPEG
- Reported engine: CONT C8512F
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 597 total, 434 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN04CA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04CA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040505009259A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) DEPARTED RUNWAY 15 MEADOW LAKE AIRPORT, FALCON COLORADO, (00V), AT 10:55 MDT FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT CLIMBED OUT TO 7,100 FT MSL AND TURNED IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION. AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED APPROXIMATELY 2 MI. WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED THE CLIMB RATE TO BE NEAR ZERO. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD THE AIRPORT. PILOT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT 300FT AGL FOR A LEFT DOWN WIND FOR RUNWAY 15. PILOT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN DOWN DRAFT OF AIR TURBULENCE WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SINK AND ROLL TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT WING FELL OFF APPROXIMATELY 40 DEGREES. PILOT COULD NOT REGAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND IN A LEFT TURN UNTIL THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT SKIDDED ALONG THE GROUND IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION WHILE THE FUSELAGE SPUN TO THE LEFT. IN THE COURSE OF THE SKID THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DITCH WHERE THE NOSE GEAR AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP HEADING NORTH BOUND. VFR FLIGHT RULES APPLIED AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT, WITH WEATHER CONDITIONS REPORTED TO BE SCATTERED CLOUDS, WINDS TO BE WESTERLY 6 TO 8 KNOTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN04CA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04CA068), May 5, 2004: Ercoupe 415G (N94405), Falcon, CO, destroyed. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A contributing factor was the clear air turbulence encounter.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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