- Date
- May 5, 2004, 11:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Falcon, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N94405Ercoupe 415G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Denver, Colorado
- FAA report
- 20040505009259A
- Case key
- 59171
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 failure to maintain aircraft control. A contributing factor was the clear air turbulence encounter.
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 said the airplane was at maximum gross weight. Shortly after departure, he encountered clear air turbulence. At full power of 2,250 rpm and an indicated airspeed of 75 mph, the airplane would not climb. He decided to turn around and return to the airport. After turning onto the downwind leg, the airplane encountered a "rotor wave" and the left wing dropped. The pilot applied full right aileron with no effect. The airplane entered a spiral and impacted terrain. The left wing tip scraped the ground, spinning the airplane around. It became airborne again, then the right main landing gear struck a ditch. This collapsed the nose and right main landing gears. In addition, the right wing was sheared and the empennage was buckled.
Factual narrative
On May 5, 2004, approximately 1105 mountain daylight time, an Engineering and Research (Ercoupe) 415G, N94405, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Falcon, Colorado. The private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated approximately 1055.
According to the pilot, he and his wife departed Meadow Lake Airport for a local flight. The airplane was at maximum gross weight. They encountered clear air turbulence. At full power of 2,250 rpm and an indicated airspeed of 75 mph, the airplane would not climb. He decided to turn around and return to the airport. After turning onto the downwind leg, the airplane encountered a "rotor wave" and the left wing dropped. The pilot applied full right aileron input with no effect. The airplane entered a spiral and impacted terrain. The left wing tip scraped the ground, spinning the airplane around. It became airborne again, then the right main landing gear struck a ditch. This collapsed the nose and right main landing gears. In addition, the right wing was sheared and the empennage was buckled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94405
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271699
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William L. Haden
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 00V · Peyton, CO
- Airport
- OOV · Meadowlake Airport, runway 15
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 1,197 total · 178 in this make and model · 1,114 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 17
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 12 total · 7 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.