Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Erco 415C Ercoupe, N3044H: Accident occurred July 18, 2021 at Lake Clinch Airpark (52FL), Frostproof, Polk County, Florida

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida 


Location: Frostproof, FL
Accident Number: ERA21LA293
Date & Time: July 18, 2021, 10:55 Local
Registration: N3044H
Aircraft: Ercoupe 415-C
Injuries: 3 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Ercoupe
Registration: N3044H
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: KBOW,125 ft msl 
Observation Time: 10:50 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 17 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 30°C /22°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 2500 ft AGL 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Frostproof, FL
Destination: Frostproof, FL

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 Minor 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 27.750054,-81.559071 (est)

7 comments:

  1. "No rudder, no problem. World's safest airplane that steers just like a car and is spin proof*.

    *Certified as spin proof by the US Civil Aeronautics Administration"

    ^^1950s era advertisement in Flying Magazine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They not only DO have a rudder. They have TWO of them.

      Delete
  2. Flown them. They have rudders coupled to ailerons, just no rudder pedals on some. Un-nerving to fly for a tail dragger pilot like myself.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Spin proof? Yeah, and the Titanic was unsinkable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can’t spin a Coupe with no rudder pedals. No way to cross control. All turns are perfectly coordinated.

      Delete
  4. You can’t spin if you can’t cross control. No pedals = no cross control.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ercoupe owner. Either hitting something, loosing control on the ground, or too slow on approach. The Ercoupe won’t spin but will descend at like 1,000 ft/min in a mush. You can also land them at cruise speed because once down will not balloon.

    ReplyDelete