Ercoupe 415-C accident near Panacea, Florida, December 16, 2011
On December 16, 2011 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Ercoupe 415-C, registered N99576, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Panacea, Florida (Wakulla County 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not attain the proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2011 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Panacea, Florida · Wakulla County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415-C · all 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N99576 · no longer on the register · serial 2199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern at 80 mph. During the landing roll on the 2,590-foot, turf runway, the pilot applied the brakes, but the airplane continued off the end of the runway, impacted a fence, and came to rest in a nose-low position, sustaining substantial damage to the wing spars. Examination of the wreckage, which included an operational check of the wheel braking system, revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. According to the Ercoupe Instruction Manual, the recommended landing approach airspeed was "between 60 and 70 mph." The instruction manual also indicated that landing the airplane at a higher airspeed and applying the brakes "will require decidedly less overall distance than it would if the airplane were held off the ground until minimum speed had been reached." A published landing distance table for the airplane indicated that, with an approach speed of 75 mph, the landing distance over a 50-foot obstruction on a paved runway would be about 1,800 feet.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,119 hours in all; 284 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,119 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,303 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2010
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C75 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Chamblee GA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 2J0 Panacea FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,590 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from TLH, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.