- Date
- July 26, 2008, 13:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Corona, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N93614Ercoupe 415-C
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080726843859A
- Case key
- 68527
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, resulting in a stall/mush. Contributing to the accident was the gusty crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot said that he departed from runway 25 during gusty wind conditions. At 800 feet above ground level, he turned the airplane onto the crosswind leg and the left wing went down. The pilot recovered the airplane, added full throttle, and the airplane continued to descend. The pilot pulled back on the yoke to make the airplane climb; however, the airplane continued to descend. The airplane impacted trees and sustained substantial damage. According to the nearest aviation weather reporting system that was located at the airport, winds were from 290 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and found no mechanical anomalies that would have resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Factual narrative
The pilot provided a written statement to the Safety Board investigator. He reported that he departed from runway 25 during gusty wind conditions. At 800 feet above ground level, he turned the airplane onto the crosswind leg and the left wing went down. The pilot recovered the airplane, added full throttle, and the airplane continued to descend. The pilot pulled back on the yoke to make the airplane climb; however, the airplane continued to descend. The airplane impacted trees and sustained substantial damage. According to the nearest aviation weather reporting system that was located at the airport, winds were from 290 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and found no mechanical anomalies that would have resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93614
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3465
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental Motors C-85, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Herbert Guiness
- Registered owner
- Homer Davis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AJO · Corona, CA
- Destination
- AJO · Corona, CA
- Airport
- AJO · Corona Muni, runway 25, 3,200 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 87
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2007
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 25 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 16 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- AJO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.