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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 2010 · about 6:40 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- New London, Wisconsin · Northport Airport · cases near this 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on February 10, 2010. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N94670 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415 340 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engineering & Research 550 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor C-85-12F 90 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Northport Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Wisconsin 1,622 since 1982 · 225 in the last ten years
- Wisconsin 6,161 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN10CA094.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.