Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-CD accident near New London, Wisconsin, January 10, 2010
On January 10, 2010 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-CD, registered N94670, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near New London, Wisconsin (Northport Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to land with a tailwind on the snow- and ice-covered runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 2010 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- New London, Wisconsin · Northport Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-CD · all ERCOUPE 415-CDs on the register
- Registration
- N94670 · registry record · serial 4781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the accident occurred when the flight was returning to the airport after a local flight. He stated that he checked the windsock and it showed that the winds were favoring runway 18, but he decided to land on runway 36. The grass runway was covered with snow and ice. The pilot stated that he was unable to slow the airplane down during the landing roll and the airplane nosed over after contacting a snowbank at the end of the runway. The pilot stated that only half the length of the runway was plowed. He chose runway 36 so he would not have to turn around and back taxi on the runway to get to the hangar, which was at the north end of the airport. The airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 848 hours in all; 390 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 848 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,004 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 2009; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 38WI New London WI at 5:38 pm
- Destination: 38WI New London WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from OSH, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN10CA094.