- Date
- April 17, 1993, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Helena, MT
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N94142Ercoupe 415-C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 10, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930417012499A
- Case key
- 43013
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 inadequate lookout by the PIC and his failure to maintain clearance from electrical wires. A factor relating to the accident was the presence of electrical wires near the approach end of the airstrip.
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 flew a VFR traffic pattern for landing at a familiar gravel airstrip. The acft struck electrical wires near the end of the strip during the final approach, and impacted the ground in an uncontrolled descent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94142
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1465
- Airframe hours
- 1,794
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wilhelm, Clayton D.
- Registered owner
- Wilhelm, Clayton D.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 14, 1993
- Airport
- NONE · Wilhelms, runway 36, 5,280 × 40 ft, dirt
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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 84 total · 84 in this make and model · 46 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HLN, 7 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.