Ercoupe 415 accident near Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, October 6, 2017
On October 6, 2017 at about 6:15 pm local time, a 1946 Ercoupe 415, registered N3538H, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Centre Hall, Pennsylvania (Penn'S Cave airport). It was a personal 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 partial loss of engine power due to the No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve being stuck.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2017 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Centre Hall, Pennsylvania · Penn'S Cave · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415 C, built 1946 · all 415s on the register
- Registration
- N3538H · registry record · serial 4163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, after takeoff, he climbed the airplane to 200 ft above ground level, at which point it experienced an "appreciable" loss of engine power, the flight controls became "sluggish," and the airplane would no longer climb. He noted that the engine was operating about 275 rpm below the nominal full-power setting of 2,275 rpm at takeoff. The pilot chose to conduct a forced landing to a field directly off the departure end of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane struck fences, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve was stuck in the open (compressed) position without rocker-arm contact. The valve remained in the open position through several rotations of the crankshaft. The stuck exhaust valve would have resulted in the partial loss of engine power and the airplane's inability to climb.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Damaged/degraded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 275.8 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 13.6 in the last 90 days; 6.1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,712.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 2016
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C75 SERIES (piston); 1,713 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N74 Centre Hall PA
- Destination: 0P8 Dover PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KUNV, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on February 8, 2019. 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 | Maintenance Records Engine Log | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Manufacturer Engine Overhaul Interval | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 2 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.