Ercoupe 415 accident near Dawsonville, Georgia, February 19, 2017
On February 19, 2017 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1946 Ercoupe 415, registered N99716, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Dawsonville, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A decrease in oil pressure due to the pilot's unintentional overfilling of the engine oil sump, and the pilot's subsequent decision to perform an off-airport precautionary landing, which resulted in impact with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2017 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dawsonville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415 C, built 1946 · all 415s on the register
- Registration
- N99716 · registry record · serial 2339
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot recently purchased the airplane and was returning it to his home airport. Before the flight, he added 1/2 quart of oil to the engine, bringing the oil level to between 3 1/2 and 4 quarts. About 30 minutes after departure, the pilot noticed that the oil pressure was dropping. He reduced engine power and turned the airplane toward the closest airport. The oil pressure continued to decrease, even though the engine continued to produce power, and the pilot chose to perform a precautionary landing on a road. Upon touchdown, the airplane skidded across the road until it impacted a tree and came to rest in a ditch. Examination of the engine revealed a hole in the oil sump consistent with impact damage, and oil was noted coming from the crankcase breather tube. In addition, oil was noted on the bottom of the airplane from the nose to the empennage. Even after the oil leaked from the broken oil sump and from the breather tube, the postaccident engine oil level was 3 1/2 quarts. A subsequent engine run demonstrated that the engine would experience a momentary drop in oil pressure indication if the oil sump was overfilled. The engine and the oil pressure gauge otherwise operated normally. Since the pilot lacked operational experience with the airplane, it is likely that he unintentionally overfilled the oil sump, which resulted in an interaction between the oil in the sump and the rotating crankshaft. The interaction likely resulted in air bubbles becoming entrained in the oil and a subsequent oil pressure fluctuation. Additionally, since he checked the oil level following a previous flight, it was likely that the oil had not fully drained back into the sump when the reading was taken. Considering that the oil pressure gauge operated normally after the accident, it is unlikely that the gauge was producing a faulty reading in flight.
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
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute (cruise)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 515 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 515 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 6, 2017
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 2016; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C-75-12 (piston); 158 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JCA Jefferson GA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 9A5 Lafayette GA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 4:42 pm from GVL, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on December 21, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Logs | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Engine Lubrication Oil Aeration - Mit Paper | PDF, 70 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Engine Specifications | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo Array (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.