Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) E accident near Wetumpka, Alabama, March 8, 2006
On March 8, 2006 at about 3:30 am local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) E, registered N94840, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wetumpka, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the No. 2 exhaust, and intake valves for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a loss of engine power during cruise flight and damage to the airplane during the subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2006 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Wetumpka, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) E
- Registration
- N94840 · no longer on the register · serial 4913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while enroute to the Wetumpka Airport at 2,500 feet the engine began to vibrate and stopped. He contacted air traffic control personnel and declared an emergency. The pilot made an emergency landing in an open field where the airplane collided with a ditch on the landing rollout and nosed over inverted. Examination of the engine by an FAA inspector revealed that when the No. 2 upper spark plug was removed it had foreign object damage. A compression check was performed and the No. 2 cylinder had no compression. The crankshaft was rotated and gear and valve train continuity was established. The No. 2 cylinder was removed from the engine case and examination of the cylinder assembly revealed that the exhaust and intake valves were broken. A review of the engine logbook revealed that the new Superior cylinders were installed on December 12, 2000, and had a total operation time of 272 hours since the installation. The No. 2 cylinder, exhaust, intake valves, and piston were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Material Laboratory for further examination. The valves from the No. 2 cylinder were disassembled and visually inspected. The exhaust fracture faces were so heavily damaged by post separation impacts that no original fracture features could be found. The fractures on the intake valve head were only slightly damaged with features consistent with overstress fracturing consistent with low temperature impact loading, secondary to the fracture of the exhaust valve.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,159 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005; 1,032 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental AC75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALX Alexander City AL at 3:00 am
- Destination: 08A Wetumpka AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from MXF, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.