Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-CD accident near Union City, Tennessee, November 8, 1987
On November 8, 1987 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-CD, registered N3849H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Union City, Tennessee (Everett-Stewart airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 1987 · about 10:25 pm local time · cases in 1987
- Place
- Union City, Tennessee · Everett-Stewart · cases near this airport · 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.) 415-CD
- Registration
- N3849H · registry record · serial 4550
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THE ACFT STARTED TO VEER OFF THE RWY AFTER A 'ROUGH' LNDG. HE ATMTD TO STEER THE PLANE WITH THE STEERING CONTROL, BUT IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY. ABOUT 50' TO THE SIDE OF THE RWY, THE NOSE GEAR HIT A HOLE & COLLAPSED. A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED THE STEERING LUG ON THE NOSEWHEEL STRUT HAD FRACTURED & SEPARATED. NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE WAS FOUND. THIS ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH INDEPENDENT, PEDAL OPERATED BRAKES.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 17,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,696 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1987; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UCY at 10:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:25 pm
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3849H on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Continental C-75 7 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Everett-Stewart Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,198 since 1982 · 231 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,535 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL88LA050.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.