Ercoupe 415 accident near South Boston, Virginia, December 6, 2020
On December 6, 2020 at about 9:18 pm local time, a 1946 Ercoupe 415, registered N2674H, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near South Boston, Virginia. 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 improper installation of a fuel filter screen cover gasket, which resulted in its failure, fuel starvation, and a subsequent total loss of engine power during cruise flight. Contributing to the accident was the unapproved fuel sight gauge, which obscured the pilot’s view of the fuel level in the fuel header tank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2020 · about 9:18 pm local time
- Place
- South Boston, Virginia · 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
- N2674H · registry record · serial 3299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, the engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a road, during which the right wing sustained substantial damage. Subsequent examination of the engine revealed the failure of a fuel filter screen cover gasket from the fuel transfer pump, which transferred fuel from the wings to the header fuel tank. The failure allowed the fuel transfer pump to draw in air rather than fuel. Given this information, it is likely the engine consumed all the fuel in the fuel header tank, and the fuel was not replaced with fuel in the wings due to the transfer pump anomaly. When the failed gasket was replaced with a new gasket, the engine started normally, and the fuel transfer pump operated normally. Further examination of the failed gasket revealed that the gasket was damaged, likely during installation at the most recent annual inspection about 4 months before the accident. Additionally, the sight gauge for the fuel header tank was cloudy and was an unapproved part, which obscured viewing of the fuel level in the fuel header tank and likely prevented the pilot from recognizing that the fuel was not transferring properly from the wing tanks.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute defining event
- Fuel starvation during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel pumps › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity indicator › Not specified
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Replacement › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 82 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 29, 2020
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,474 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from W78, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 28, 2022. 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 | Interview Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 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.