Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-CD accident near Lizton, Indiana, December 29, 1989
On December 29, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-CD, registered N3871H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lizton, Indiana (Haffner 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
SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS OF THE PILOT, TERRAIN CONDITION AND FENCE ON OR NEAR THE AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lizton, Indiana · Haffner · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-CD
- Registration
- N3871H · no longer on the register · serial 4572
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF HE 'APPLIED FULL POWER, AIRPLANE TRAVELLED ACROSS THREE AREAS OF SNOW....FAILED TO OBTAIN FLYING SPEED...CONTACTED FENCE AND DITCH.' THE RUNWAY IN USE WAS A 1,550 FOOT LONG, SNOW-COVERED GRASS STRIP; THE PILOT STATED 'I KNEW BETTER, AND I SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR BETTER RUNWAY CONDITIONS. I JUST SCREWED UP.' THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE HIS AIRCRAFT FROM HIS EX-WIFE'S PROPERTY BECAUSE HE WAS 'CONCERNED WITH DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT BY OTHER PARTIES....' THE COMMERCIALLY CERTIFICATED PILOT INDICATED A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 1,600 HOURS, OF WHICH 1,500 HOURS WERE IN SINGLE-ENGINE AIRCRAFT. HE REPORTED THREE HOURS FLIGHT TIME IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT, ALL WITHIN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 3 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Lizton IN at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,550 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 14,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from IND, 11 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.