Ercoupe 415-C accident near Alexandria, Indiana, July 17, 2015
On July 17, 2015 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 1946 Ercoupe 415-C, registered N2765H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Alexandria, Indiana (Alexandria Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain/attain adequate airspeed and attitude during landing that resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the pilot's diverted attention to air traffic and the reduction of perceptible audio cues due to noise attenuating headsets.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2015 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alexandria, Indiana · Alexandria Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415-C, built 1946 · all 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2765H · no longer on the register · serial 3390
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated private pilot diverted to the alternate airport so as to avoid flight into instrument meteorological conditions along the intended route of flight path to a destination airport. While landing at the alternate airport, the airplane bounced and departed off the side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage that included the engine firewall and right wing. The pilot stated that he reduced engine power and airspeed so as to increase separation with a preceding aircraft that was also landing, which resulted in "too much" airspeed being reduced and the bounced landing. The pilot stated that he was using active noise reduction headsets for the first time, which "greatly" reduced engine noise and "muted" audio input so as to not receive the "normal" audio indications that his senses were accustomed to on prior flights. The accident was not reported by the pilot and was discovered by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector during routine surveillance at the airport.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Sensory ability/limitation › Hearing › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 221 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 114 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 25, 2013
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 18, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors C-85 (piston); 15,148 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HAO Hamilton OH at 12:45 pm
- Destination: SBM Sheboygan WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,591 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from AID, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 CEN15CA373.