Ercoupe 415-C accident near Butterfield, Texas, January 28, 2017
On January 28, 2017 at about 5:14 pm local time, a 1947 Ercoupe 415-C, registered N94694, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Butterfield, Texas. It was an other work-use 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
A malfunction of the fuel transfer system for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information, a stuck float in the header tank sight gauge that resulted in an inaccurate fuel quantity indication, and the pilot’s inadequate monitoring of the wing tank fuel quantity during the flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation when the header tank became depleted of fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 2017 · about 5:14 pm local time
- Place
- Butterfield, Texas · 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 1947 · all 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N94694 · no longer on the register · serial 4805
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on a cross-country flight when the airplane's engine lost power during cruise flight about 1 hour 13 minutes after takeoff. The pilot stated that the wing fuel tank gauge indicated above 3/4 full and that the header tank sight gauge appeared "unchanged" from where it had been at departure. The pilot's corrective actions were unsuccessful in restoring engine power, and he conducted a forced landing to a dirt road. The airplane's left wing struck a small tree during the landing roll, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and twin vertical stabilizers. The pilot reported that the header fuel tank was empty after the accident, and each wing fuel tank contained about 7-8 gallons of fuel. During normal operation, the engine-driven fuel pump transfers fuel from the wing tanks to the header tank, where it is gravity fed to the engine. A postaccident functional test of the header tank float-equipped sight gauge, which indicates the amount of fuel in the header tank, revealed the float would stick in the full up position and would remain stuck in that position despite vigorous shaking of the assembly by hand. There were no anomalies observed during multiple engine test runs, during which the engine-driven fuel pump functioned normally. Examination of the wing fuel tanks revealed significant pitting of the aluminum skins and peeling tank sealant. However, there was no evidence of an obstruction of the fuel lines when compressed air was blown through the fuel lines. The wing tank fuel shutoff valve was found in the on position and was secured by a rubber hose. The airplane was not equipped with an electric fuel pump. In the event of an engine-driven fuel pump failure or an obstructed fuel transfer line, the only fuel accessible to the engine was from the header tank. The reason why the engine-driven fuel pump did not continue to transfer fuel from the wing tanks to the header tank during the flight could not be determined with the available information. Because the header tank sight gauge float was stuck in the full up position, the pilot did not have the normal visual indication that the header tank was being depleted of fuel during the flight. However, the pilot could have identified that fuel was not being transferred from the wing tanks to the header tank had he adequately monitored the wing fuel tank quantity gauge for a continual decrease throughout the flight. Had the pilot identified the fuel transfer issue before the header tank was depleted of fuel, he could have potentially landed before the engine was starved of fuel.
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
- Fuel related during enroute (cruise)
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity indicator › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Malfunction
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 854 hours in all; 8.1 in this make and model; 69.6 in the last 90 days; 19.7 in the last 30 days; 811 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 11, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 829 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 2017; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12 (piston); 829 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNM Carlsbad NM at 4:01 pm
- Destination: DMN Deming NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from ELP, 28 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 CEN17LA089.