- Date
- April 21, 1985, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- St. Paul, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N94740Ercoupe 415-CD
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850421015219A
- Case key
- 13047
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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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
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing thru aprx 700 ft AGL, the eng developed a severe vibration & a loud 'clanking' sound. These were followed by a partial loss of power. During a subsequent forced landing, the acft's right wing hit a tree & the nose gear collapsed on rough terrain. An exam of the eng revealed that the #3 exhaust valve, pn 3921, had failed near the stem-head. The eng had 1040 hrs in service since major overhaul.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94740
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-CD
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4851
- Airframe hours
- 2,788
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12-F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Henry J. Taxis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 9, 1985 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- STP
- Destination
- FCM · Minneapolis, MN
- Airport
- STP · Downtown Holman, runway 16, 4,429 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,591 total · 1,591 in this make and model · 1,553 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- STP, 2 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.