Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C accident near Wausau, Wisconsin, August 25, 1996
On August 25, 1996 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C, registered N94196, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wausau, Wisconsin (Kurt Umnus Farm (Private) airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, and his misjudgment of distance and speed, while attempting to minimize the effect of crossing an uneven area on the runway. The uneven runway condition was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1996 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wausau, Wisconsin · Kurt Umnus Farm (Private) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C
- Registration
- N94196 · registry record · serial 1519
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed at a private turf airstrip, which was 1,800 feet long and had a 'gentle ravine' crossing perpendicular in the middle of the strip. During the landing, the pilot was not able to stop the airplane before reaching the ravine, so he added power to 'float' over the ravine. He then completed a successfull landing on the other side of the ravine. Later, he took off on a second flight to fly locally. During the second landing, the pilot again was unable to stop before reaching the ravine. Again, he applied power in an attempt to fly over the ravine. However, this time, he did not get sufficient airspeed to become airborne, and the airplane was damaged as it crossed the ravine.
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: 1,094 hours in all; 1,084 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 987 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 1996; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI96LA337.