- Date
- April 9, 1990, 13:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Hereford, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3504HErcoupe 415CD
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900409007889A
- Case key
- 23016
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
Inadvertent stall. Factors were maximum gross weight exceeded by the pilot, the pilot's impairment due to drugs, and the pilot's lack of total experience.
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
According to witnesses, the airplane appeared to be low and moving very slow when the nose pitched straight down and continued in that attitude to impact in a near veritcal attitude. An explosion and fire occurred after impact. The airplane was 22 pounds over max gross weight and the center of gravity was at the most aft limit. The newly certificated private pilot tested positive for diazepam, nordiazepam, fenfluramine, and diphenhydramine. According to the regional flight surgeon's office these drugs 'may have influenced the cerebration reflex and the function of operation may have been slowed, altering judgment, and could have significantly contributed to the cause of the accident.' Impact occurred about 1/2 mile from the departure runway and approximately 3 minutes after takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3504H
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415CD
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4129
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Clyde, David N
- Departed
- HRX
- Destination
- TDW · Amarillo, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- HRX · Hereford, runway 21, 5,378 × 75 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
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 78 total · 5 in this make and model · 25 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 21 knots, gusting 27
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.