Univar Ercoupe accident near Howell, Michigan, January 10, 2006
On January 10, 2006 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Univar Ercoupe, registered N99811, was substantially damaged in an accident near Howell, Michigan (Livingston County Spencer J. H 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 student pilot's improper landing flare and lack of total experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 2006 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Howell, Michigan · Livingston County Spencer J. H · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Univar Ercoupe 415-C
- Registration
- N99811 · registry record · serial 2434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings when the airplane bounced during the fourth landing attempt. The pilot lowered the nosewheel down onto the runway to maintain directional control; however, the airplane continued to bounce on the nosewheel. The nose landing gear strut collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway, impacting a ditch. The airplane sustained damage to the firewall and fuselage skin, resulting in substantial damage.
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: student
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 16 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,064.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OZW Howell MI at 5:00 pm
- Destination: OZW Howell MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from OZW
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.
Other NTSB records under N99811 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.