# NTSB MKC72AK038: Erco 415C, N93703, Lake Mills, IA, December 19, 1971

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: December 19, 1971
- Place: Lake Mills, IA · LAKE MILLS, IA
- Location: 43.4171° N, 93.5316° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Lake Mills, IA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4171&lon=-93.5316&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report October 25, 1972
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 164775
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MKC72AK038
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC72AK038

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4546  71/12/19   LAKE MILLS,IOWA     ERCO 415C           CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             NO CERTIFICATE, AGE 27,
        TIME - 1850                    N93703              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  UNK/NR TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            UNK/NR IN TYPE, NOT
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - LAKE MILLS
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          DES MOINES,IOWA             MINNEAPOLIS,MINN
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - ATTEMPTED OPERATION BEYOND EXPERIENCE/ABILITY LEVEL
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - FOG
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                 UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          FOG                                                       20
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- ACFT HIT GND IN A STEEP NS DWN ATT WHILE IN A R BANK.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N93703](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N93703-1972-02-18), registration cancelled 1972-02-18, S/N 1026 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ERCO 415C
- Registry model: [Ercoupe 415-C](https://openairdocs.org/model/ercoupe-415-c) (registry code 0420322) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Lake Mills

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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