# Accident 20200515007029A: Ercoupe 415-CD, Rogersville, TN, May 15, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 15, 2020, 14:07 local time
- Place: Rogersville, TN
- Airport: Hawkins County
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.4608° N, 82.8767° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4608&lon=-82.8767&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3956H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3956H-2020-11-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Ercoupe 415-CD (registry code 0420324, https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-cd) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C75 series (registry code 17005, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ERCOUPE 415-CD
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C75 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA183) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200515007029A

## Narrative

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

AT APPROXIMATELY 1809Z, N3956H AN ERCOUPE MODEL 415CD, DEPARTED HAWKINS COUNTY (RVN) TENNESSEE (ROGERSVILLE, TN).  PILOTED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AFTER A SHORT SIGHTING FLIGHT, 20 TO 30 MINUTES, THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO HOME AIRPORT.  ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THROUGH TREE TOPS AND CRASHED.  ESTIMATED 700 FEET SHORT OF RUNWAY 7 AND RESTING IN A RESIDENTIAL FRONT YARD.  WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT STATED THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT WING TIP CLIPPED A TREE TOP CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE AND STRIKE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE EXCLUDING A SMALL PORTION OF THE TAIL SECTION.

*ADDITIONAL FACTS- THE FAA IIC AND NTSB TRIED SEVERAL WAYS TO RETRIEVE AIRCRAFT AND AIRMEN RECORDS.  THE RECORDS RETRIEVED WERE NOT CURRENT, COMPLETE, OR CORRECT FOR THE TIME OF ACCIDENT.

## 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 ERA20LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA183), May 15, 2020: Ercoupe 415 (N3956H), Rogersville, TN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper glidepath on approach, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of an impairing…

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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