# NTSB DEN04CA068: Ercoupe 415G, N94405, Falcon, CO, May 5, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 5, 2004, 11:05 local (17:05 UTC) - Place: Falcon, CO - Coordinates: 38.945835, -104.569725 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9458&lon=-104.5697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Denver, Colorado - NTSB case key (mKey): 59171 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04CA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59171/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04CA068 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A contributing factor was the clear air turbulence encounter. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, takeoff - initial climb - weather condition - turbulence,clear air (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - not successful, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - open field - terrain condition - ditch ## 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 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415G - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17271699 - Engines: 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 As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; 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 - Student pilot; age 17; 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040505009259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040505009259A), May 5, 2004: Univar ERCOUPEG, Colorado Sprin, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Departed runway 15 Meadow Lake Airport, falcon Colorado, (00V), at 10:55 MDT for a local flight. Aircraft climbed out to 7,100 ft MSL and turned in an… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.