- Date
- January 13, 2016, 10:35 local (17:35 UTC)
- Place
- Chappell, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N87405Engineering & Research Ercoupe 415
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Lincoln FSDO
- FAA report
- 20160113000579A
- Case key
- 92601
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 inability to correct for a crosswind during the takeoff roll due to the interlinked flight control design, which resulted in a runway excursion, and a collision with terrain.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll with gusting wind, the right wing "lifted up sharply." He reported that at full power he attempted to rotate, the airplane departed the runway to the right, and the left wing impacted a snow bank. When the left wing impacted the snow bank, he reported that the airplane "swung" back to the left, and came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that the airplane is a "standard Ercoupe, with integrated nose-wheel steering, rudder and aileron, and no toe brakes." The pilot additionally stated that, "once the right wing lifted, it didn't matter what I did, the aircraft was going to go off the runway to the right" and that, "without rudder pedals and independent aileron authority to work a crosswind, it was not going to happen." The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll with gusting wind, the right wing "lifted up sharply." He reported that at full power he attempted to rotate, the airplane departed the runway to the right, and the left wing impacted a snow bank. When the left wing impacted the snow bank, he reported that the airplane "swung" back to the left, and came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that the airplane is a "standard Ercoupe, with integrated nose-wheel steering, rudder and aileron, and no toe brakes." The pilot additionally stated that, "once the right wing lifted, it didn't matter what I did, the aircraft was going to go off the runway to the right" and that, "without rudder pedals and independent aileron authority to work a crosswind, it was not going to happen." The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N87405
- Reported as
- Engineering & Research Ercoupe 415 (CD)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 578
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 2,245.5
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A71B, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- O'Hanlon, John, M.
- Registered owner
- O'Hanlon, John, M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 9, 2015
- Departed
- CNP · Chappell, NE
- Destination
- CNP · Chappell, NE
- Airport
- CNP · Billy G Ray Field, runway 12, 4,000 × 55 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
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 26, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 25,460 total · 35 in this make and model · 25,140 as pilot in command · 41 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KSNY, 24 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 18, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 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.