Summary
On October 17, 2019, a Ercoupe 415 (N2585H) was involved in an incident near Alvin, TX. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, and an off-airport landing, during which the airplane landed hard and then ground looped.
The pilot reported that, prior to departure, he fueled the airplane to full capacity (24 gallons). He added that, about 3 hours and 36 minutes into the flight, upon descending to 2,000 ft, the engine began to run rough. He reported that over the span of about 5 minutes, it fluctuated between running rough and intermittent before quitting entirely. He decided to land in a subdivision. During the "high speed flare", he observed the left wing was approaching a light pole, so he "drove the yoke right." The airplane landed hard and he applied hard braking. The right wheel hit the curb and the right wing impacted a mud fence. He saw another light pole and added left yoke input.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA20CA031. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N2585H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, and an off-airport landing, during which the airplane landed hard and then ground looped.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that, prior to departure, he fueled the airplane to full capacity (24 gallons). He added that, about 3 hours and 36 minutes into the flight, upon descending to 2,000 ft, the engine began to run rough. He reported that over the span of about 5 minutes, it fluctuated between running rough and intermittent before quitting entirely. He decided to land in a subdivision. During the "high speed flare", he observed the left wing was approaching a light pole, so he "drove the yoke right." The airplane landed hard and he applied hard braking. The right wheel hit the curb and the right wing impacted a mud fence. He saw another light pole and added left yoke input. The airplane ground looped to the left.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the fuel tanks were inspected upon arrival and there were no visible signs of fuel.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA20CA031