- Date
- August 3, 2002, 10:50 local (15:50 UTC)
- Place
- Palmyra, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94431Ercoupe G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA -- Milwaukee FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020803038169A
- Case key
- 55441
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
Failure by the pilot-in-command to properly compensate for the wind conditions, as well as an improper landing flare. Contibuting factors were the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor and the wind gusts.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was conducting a practice power-off approach as part of a flight review. The approach was initiated "abeam the numbers" on downwind (in the traffic pattern). The pilot reported that as the airplane was about to enter the landing flare, at an altitude of approximately 6 feet agl, "the aircraft quit flying totally." The resulting hard landing caused the nose gear to collapse and the aircraft skidded to a stop on the runway. The pilot and flight instructor reported winds of 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 3, 2002, at 1050 central daylight time, an Ercoupe Model G, N94431, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing on runway 9 (2,150ft x 200ft, turf) at the Palmyra Municipal Airport (88C), Palmyra, Wisconsin. The flight originated from the East Troy Municipal Airport (57C), East Troy, Wisconsin, at 1010 cdt and intended to return there after practicing takeoffs and landings at Palmyra. The pilot, with a certified flight instructor on board, was intending to complete a biennial flight review. The local flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and flight instructor did not report any injuries.
As part of a flight review, the pilot initiated a power-off approach from "abeam the numbers" on downwind in the traffic pattern. On short final, at an altitude of approximately 6 feet agl, the pilot noted that "the aircraft quit flying and skidded to a stop." The flight instructor on-board, in his written statement, reported "without warning or any indication, the aircraft quit flying totally." The resulting hard landing collapsed the nose gear.
The pilot and flight instructor's statements indicated that no stall warning system was installed in the aircraft. They also reported no malfunctions or failures associated with the airplane or engine prior to the accident.
Weather conditions at the scene, as reported by the pilot and flight instructor, were clear skies and 8 miles visibility. They noted winds from 100 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The Rock County Airport (JVL) AWOS, 24 miles to the southwest, reported at 1045 cdt, clear skies, 10 miles visibility and winds from 110 degrees at 8 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94431
- Reported as
- Ercoupe G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5077
- Airframe hours
- 2,794
- Engine
- Continental C85 Series, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 12, 2002 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- 57C · East Troy, WI
- Airport
- 88C · Palmyra Municipal, runway 9, 2,150 × 200 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 311 total · 173 in this make and model · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 23, 2001
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 16,429 total · 8 in this make and model · 15,166 as pilot in command · 85 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- JVL, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.