Ercoupe 415-C accident near Parkersburg, West Virginia, October 4, 2012
On October 4, 2012 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Ercoupe 415-C, registered N93606, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Parkersburg, West Virginia (Mid-Ohio Valley Regional airport). It was an instructional 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, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 2012 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Parkersburg, West Virginia · Mid-Ohio Valley Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415-C · all 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N93606 · registry record · serial 929
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The first leg of the student pilot's planned solo cross-country flight was uneventful until he attempted to land at his destination airport. During the flare, as the airplane began to settle, he reduced power and the airplane "dropped," touched down on the main landing gear, then the nose landing gear, and then "hopped." The airplane then touched down again and traveled about 50 feet before the nosewheel separated, and the airplane slid to a stop. Examination of the airplane revealed that the two halves of the nosewheel assembly had separated from each other and multiple fractures existed in both halves. Further examination of the airplane also revealed that the firewall and fuselage had incurred substantial damage. The airplane was manufactured in 1946, and the pilot stated that he believed that the nosewheel assembly might have failed due to fatigue during the landing. However, examination of the nosewheel assembly by the NTSB's Materials Laboratory revealed that the damage was consistent with an overload event.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,391 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C-75-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4G7 Fairmont WV at 3:55 pm
- Destination: PKB Parkersburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 7,240 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PKB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N93606 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.