Alon A2 Ercoupe accident near Hawley, Minnesota, February 28, 2004
On February 28, 2004 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Alon A2 Ercoupe, registered N825DC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hawley, Minnesota (Hawley Muni 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the fence post.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2004 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hawley, Minnesota · Hawley Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Alon A2 Ercoupe · all A2 Ercoupes on the register
- Registration
- N825DC · registry record · serial A-124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a gravel road when the airplane hit a fence post, which spun it into a ditch. The pilot stated that while circling a farm field, the engine began to sputter and run very rough when he applied full power to climb. He then elected to perform the forced landing. The loss of engine power could not be duplicated upon later examination.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 253 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 208 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 16, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,153 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 2003; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-16F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 04Y Hawley MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from JKJ, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.