Ercoupe 415 accident near Saint Martin Island, Michigan, July 18, 2015
On July 18, 2015 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Ercoupe 415, registered CFGGS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Saint Martin Island, Michigan. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of a connecting rod bearing, which resulted in a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2015 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Martin Island, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415 · all 415s on the register
- Registration
- CFGGS · no longer on the register · serial 3646
- 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 he was conducting a cross-country flight in a single-engine airplane when the engine lost oil pressure. Shortly after, the engine lost power and seized. The pilot then made a forced landing on a beach. Examination of the engine revealed that the No. 1 connecting rod bearing had failed and that the camshaft had seized and was broken. The camshaft seizure was consistent with a loss of oil pressure due to the No. 1 connecting rod bearing failure.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 38,800 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 27,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 27, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,582.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 12, 2015
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continential C85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KERY Newberry MI at 10:00 pm
- Destination: KMTW Manitowoc WI
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2015. 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Examination Notes | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo - Broken Camshaft (Non NTSB Photo) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.