- Date
- August 17, 1991, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anaconda, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2069HErcoupe 415C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910817034529A
- Case key
- 41515
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
An inadvertent stall during initial climb. The high density altitude and a premature liftoff by the pilot were factors.
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 pilot attempted to takeoff from the airport with a density altitude of 7500-8000 feet under no wind conditions. The aircraft was fully fueled and near its maximum gross takeoff weight and the pilot did not adjust the fuel/passenger load to compensate. During the takeoff the airspeed decayed below stall speed and the aircraft stalled and descended back to the runway. Insufficient altitude was available during the stall to enable the pilot to execute a successful recovery.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2069H
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2692
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Walter J. Smith
- Registered owner
- Walter J. Smith
- Airport
- 3U3 · Anaconda, runway 22, 4,500 × 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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 317 total · 270 in this make and model · 317 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.