- Date
- February 19, 2009, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Camas, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94805Ercoupe 415-E
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 12, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090219002349A
- Case key
- 73380
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 misjudged landing flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Findings · 3
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 purpose of the flight was for the student pilot to practice landings. While maneuvering on a normal traffic pattern to the runway, he noted that the airplane was higher and faster than he was accustomed to. The pilot recalled that he flared too high resulting in the airplane landing hard. Following the touchdown, the airplane bounced and landed hard again. The airplane sustained damage to the firewall. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.
Factual narrative
In a written statement, the student pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice landings. While maneuvering on a normal traffic pattern to the runway, he noted that the airplane was higher and faster than he was accustomed to. The pilot recalled that he flared too high resulting in the airplane landing hard. Following the touchdown, the airplane bounced and landed hard again. The airplane sustained damage to the firewall. In the section titled "RECOMMENDATION" in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report, form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that accident may have been prevented if he had his instructor fly with him again. The pilot further added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94805
- Reported as
- Ercoupe 415-E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4918
- Airframe hours
- 2,307
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 10, 2008 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 1W1 · Camas, WA
- Destination
- 1W1 · Camas, WA
- Airport
- 1W1 · Grove Field Airport, runway 25, 2,710 × 40 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
- 76
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 33 total · 33 in this make and model · 6 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.