- Date
- August 14, 2015, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fairmont, WV
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N93606Ercoupe 415 C
- Defining event
- Approach: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150814013679A
- Case key
- 91801
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 airspeed and his exceedance of the wing's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent collision with terrain.
Findings · 3
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
According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff he noticed that there was no movement on the header tank fuel float gauge. He went on to say that the fuel float gauge then started to move "down quickly", and since he still had the airport insight, he decided to turn back and conduct a precautionary landing. As he approached for landing he "raised" the nose of the airplane to slow down; but became "too low and too slow" and the airplane collided with a road adjacent to the airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Examination of the fuel float gauge by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any anomalies. In addition, the pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff he noticed that there was no movement on the header tank fuel float gauge. He went on to say that the fuel float gauge then started to move "down quickly", and since he still had the airport insight, he decided to turn back and conduct a precautionary landing. As he approached for landing he "raised" the nose of the airplane to slow down; but became "too low and too slow" and the airplane collided with a road adjacent to the airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Examination of the fuel float gauge by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any anomalies. In addition, the pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93606
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415 C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 929
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 1,474.8
- Engine
- Cont Motor C-75-12, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Clem Robert J
- Registered owner
- Clem Robert J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 10, 2014
- Departed
- 4G7 · Fairmont, WV
- Destination
- 4G7 · Fairmont, WV
- Airport
- 4G7 · Fairmont Municipal Airport, runway 23, 3,194 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 76
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 15, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 106 total · 106 in this make and model · 27.7 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- CKB, 9 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 MB 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.
Other investigations on N93606 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.