- Date
- March 2, 1982, 13:03 local (19:03 UTC)
- Place
- Topeka, KS
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N93846Ercoupe 415-C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820302001399A
- Case key
- 72842
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 aircraft crashed and burned during takeoff at 1303 CST. The pilot received second degree burns over 20 per cent of his body and expired on 3/9/82. Two sailplanes were damaged by impact and fire, and a third sailplane received fire damage. The pilot reported that prior to the accident, he made two touch and go landings in calm air without incident. He further stated that on his third takeoff, he started a turn at 75 ft AGL and was caught by a sudden gust of wind which caused his right wing to drop. The aircraft crashed before he could regain control. He reported that there was no malfunction of the engine or aircraft prior to impact. A witness reported that the wind was calm prior to the accident, then suddenly became gusty from the north at 15 mph. Eight miles southeast at the phillip billard airport, there was a wind shift at 1344 CST from 040 degrees at 4 knots to 010 degrees at 13 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93846
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1169
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- L O Ledbetteo
- Registered owner
- L O Ledbetteo
- Departed
- PVT · Topeka, KS
- Destination
- PVT · Topeka, KS
- Airport
- PVT · Mesa Verde, runway 10, 2,800 × 0 ft, gravel
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
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 250 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 135 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.