- Date
- November 3, 2019, 17:43 local (22:43 UTC)
- Place
- Greer, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N87173Ercoupe 415
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191103020799A
- Case key
- 100535
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control, and impact with a fence.
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, while on final approach to land on a grass runway, he was suddenly unable to see the runway clearly, which caused him to flare the airplane late. The airplane bounced and drifted left. The left landing gear touched down in tall vegetation, and the airplane veered left and impacted a fence. The pilot further reported that he was unsure what caused his inability to see the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while on final approach to land on a grass runway about sunset, he was suddenly unable to see the runway with any clarity, which caused him to flare late. The airplane bounced and drifted left. The left landing gear landed in tall vegetation, and the airplane veered left and impacted the fence. The pilot further reported that he was unsure what caused the inability to see the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N87173
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415 (C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 346
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 2,062.8
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Old Time Aero Llc
- Registered owner
- Old Time Aero Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 17, 2019
- Departed
- AHN · Athens, GA
- Destination
- PVT · Greer, SC
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PVT · The Flying Few, runway 28, 1,700 × 40 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- August 8, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 124.5 total · 101.5 in this make and model · 33.4 as pilot in command · 11.3 in the last 90 days · 2.7 in the last 30 days · 2.7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KGSP, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 851 KB 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.