- Date
- August 11, 1990, 16:17 local (20:17 UTC)
- Place
- Huntersville, NC
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2436HErco 415-C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900811033109A
- Case key
- 32565
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
Failure of the pilot in command to maintain airspeed.
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
The private pilot was observed to climb slow and shallow after takeoff from a private grass airstrip, and crash into the tops of trees. No airframe, control, or powerplant failures were found. The leading edge of one wing exhibited crushed from initial impact indicative of a nose high attitude. This make and model of airplane does not exhibit a distinctive stall break. There was an extensive post crash fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2436H
- Reported as
- Erco 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3061
- Airframe hours
- 1,100
- Engine
- Continental C-75-12, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph P. Henderson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1990 · 16 hours before
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 705 total · 50 in this make and model · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CLT, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.