The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Location: Ardmore, OK
Accident Number: CEN21LA047
Date & Time: November 7, 2020, 08:05 Local
Registration: N331BW
Aircraft: Ercoupe 415
Injuries: 1 Serious, 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under:
On November 7, 2020, about 0805 central standard time, an ERCO Ercoupe 415-C airplane, N331BW, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries and the two occupants sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to take the two passengers for a sightseeing flight in the local area. The pilot was stationed in the left seat while the two passengers shared the right seat together. As the airplane flew over a neighborhood, the pilot executed a left bank. The one passenger reported that during the left bank, the pilot stated, “this is bad,” and he was unable to control the ailerons to return the airplane to level flight. The pilot attempted to move the control yoke multiple times, but to no avail. The pilot attempted to land the airplane to an open field; however, the airplane impacted a tree during the landing, and came to rest inverted on the ground.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. The wreckage is pending recovery for a future examination of the airframe and engine.
The ERCO Ercoupe 415-C Instructional Manual states that the airplane is a “two-place, low wing monoplane of metal construction.” According to the Federal Aviation Administration Type Certificate Data Sheet (A-718) for the airplane, the airplane is limited to two seats.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Ercoupe
Registration: N331BW
Model/Series: 415 C
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: K1F0,844 ft msl
Observation Time: 07:55 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C /11°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.12 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Ardmore, OK (1FO)
Destination: Ardmore, OK
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious, 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 34.127809,-97.063198 (est)
The crash happened around 8 a.m. on Concord and Mary Niblack road off of U.S. Highway 70 east.
Three agencies were on scene and Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Jody Cornelison said three people were inside of the aircraft.
Trooper Cornelison said the pilot was medflighted to a hospital in Plano in critical condition with two passengers taken and released at an Ardmore hospital.
He said the pilot had to take an emergency landing and crashed into a tree on a private property.
“They (homeowners) were pretty shocked, they advised they didn’t even hear the crash. They just walked outside and discovered there was a plane out in their front yard.”
Trooper Cornelison said the pilot told him there was a mechanical failure with the plane.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.
I can't believe not one person in that neighborhood saw nor heard that crash - that's at least an 8" diameter branch (or tree) that was snapped. That would be quite a noise breaking just by itself. But more so, I can't believe everyone on board even survived and there not even a fire. Wow... just when you thought you read it all on KR.
ReplyDeleteAn ercoupe can hardly fit 2 in the cockpit. Don't see how he got 3 in
ReplyDelete