Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C accident near Wood Lake, Nebraska, February 19, 1998
On February 19, 1998 at about 1:52 am local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C, registered N99270, was destroyed in an accident near Wood Lake, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's intentional flight into adverse weather conditions, the wing ice, and the inadvertent stall. Factors contributing to this accident were the rain, freezing rain and low ceilings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1998 · about 1:52 am local time
- Place
- Wood Lake, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C
- Registration
- N99270 · no longer on the register · serial 1893
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off from Bassett, Nebraska, in a misty, light rain, at about 1930 central standard time (cst), en route to Valentine, Nebraska [60 miles away]. At approximately 2100 cst, the airport manager at Valentine received a telephone call from the pilot's sister, inquiring as to her brother's whereabouts. The airport manager called the fixed base operator at Bassett. The pilot's sister contacted the Cherry County, Nebraska, Sheriff's Department, and reported the pilot missing. The Nebraska Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), began an aerial search for the pilot's airplane at 2240 cst. The search was terminated 30 minutes later, when the CAP pilot began picking up ice on the airplane at 1,000 feet above ground level (agl). The aerial search was re-convened the following morning. The wreckage was found at approximately 0830 cst. The Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) station at Ainsworth, Nebraska, at 1952 cst, reported an overcast ceiling of 3,400 and 10 miles visibility. The sheriff, who was part of the ground search the night of the accident, described the weather as being a mixture of freezing drizzle, rain, and snow, with low clouds and low ceilings. On arrival at the accident site the following day, the sheriff said that he felt ice on the surface of one of the airplane's wings. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,231 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 4,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,262 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1997; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RBE Bassett NE at 1:30 am
- Destination: VTN Valentine NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 am from ANW, 23 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.