- Date
- January 10, 2010, 12:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- New London, WI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94670Engineering & Research Ercoupe 415-CD
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-MKE-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100110025959A
- Case key
- 75257
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to land with a tailwind on the snow- and ice-covered runway.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the accident occurred when the flight was returning to the airport after a local flight. He stated that he checked the windsock and it showed that the winds were favoring runway 18, but he decided to land on runway 36. The grass runway was covered with snow and ice. The pilot stated that he was unable to slow the airplane down during the landing roll and the airplane nosed over after contacting a snowbank at the end of the runway. The pilot stated that only half the length of the runway was plowed. He chose runway 36 so he would not have to turn around and back taxi on the runway to get to the hangar, which was at the north end of the airport. The airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported the accident occurred when returning to the airport after a local flight. He stated he checked the windsock and it showed that the winds were favoring runway 18, but he decided to land on runway 36. The grass runway was covered with snow and ice. The pilot stated that he was unable to slow the airplane down during the landing roll. The airplane nosed over after contacting a snowbank at the end of the runway. The pilot stated they used a cell phone to call for help and the airplane had to be lifted in order for them to get out of it. The pilot stated that only half the length of the runway was plowed. He chose runway 36 so he would not have to turn around and back taxi on the runway to get to the hangar which was at the north end of the airport. The airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94670
- Reported as
- Engineering & Research Ercoupe 415-CD
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4781
- Airframe hours
- 2,004
- Engine
- Cont Motor C-85-12F, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Van Kampen Anthony J
- Registered owner
- Van Kampen Anthony J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 10, 2009 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- 38WI · New London, WI
- Destination
- 38WI · New London, WI
- Airport
- 38WI · Northport Airport, runway 36, 2,300 × 75 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 848 total · 390 in this make and model · 848 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 12 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- OSH, 22 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 10, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 772 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.