- Date
- March 17, 1994, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Stallion Spring, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N99520Ercoupe 415-C
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 3, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940317005889A
- Case key
- 28699
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 continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. His failure to obtain a weather briefing, the low clouds, and the mountainous terrain were factors in the accident.
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
During climb to cruise, the pilot observed a cloud over the mountanous terrain along the intended route. As he looked down at his sectional chart, the airplane entered the cloud. While executing a 180-DEG turn the airplane collided with trees.
Factual narrative
On March 17, 1994, at 1100 hours Pacific standard time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N99520, collided with some trees in mountainous terrain after encountering instrument meteorological conditions near Stallion Springs, California. The pilot was conducting a visual flight rules personal flight to William J. Fox Airport, Lancaster, California. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed. The certificated private pilot sustained serious injuries and his passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated at Frazier Lake Airpark (1C9), Hollister, California, at 0900 hours. According to the pilot, the flight departed Shafter-Minter Field, Shafter, California, about 1050 hours.
The pilot told the Kern County Coroner's investigator that during the flight he inadvertently entered a cloud. The airplane struck the trees as he was executing a 180-degree turn.
The pilot submitted a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2. He stated in the report that the airplane was in a cruise climb configuration when he observed a cloud above the ridge line along the airplane's flight path. The airplane's altitude was about 5,000 mean sea level.
The pilot momentarily looked down at his aeronautical sectional chart to check the mountainous terrain altitude. When he looked up, the cloud ". . . seemed to descend . . ." in front of the airplane.
The airplane entered the cloud. The pilot started a 180-degree right turn and then observed a tree. He pulled the airplane's nose up and moments later the airplane struck another tree.
The pilot indicated in the accident report that he did not obtain a weather briefing before departing on the accident flight. He also indicated that the airplane did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99520
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2143
- Airframe hours
- 2,200
- Engine
- Continental C-85-L-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Woodward, Allen G.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1993 · 34 hours before
- Departed
- MIT · Shafter, CA
- Destination
- WJF · Lancaster, CA
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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 150 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.