- Date
- August 27, 1985, 18:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place
- Carlisle, PA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3064HErcoupe 415-C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850827077489A
- Case key
- 35579
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
During the second takeoff attempt from a pvt grass strip witnesses heard the eng sputter then quit soon after liftoff. The acft then descended to ground impact and burned. The acft had not been flown adn was kept out of doors for several months while the fabric wings were refinished. This was the first flt of the acft since the refinishing was completed. Inspection of the wreckage disclosed the presence of water and sludge throughout the acft fuel system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3064H
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3689
- Engine
- Continental C85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard D. Nale
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Carliisle, PA
- Airport
- Deitch, runway 30, 1,200 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 300 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HAR, 10 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.