Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C accident near Longview, Texas, October 29, 1983
On October 29, 1983 at about 5:26 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C, registered N99096, was destroyed in an accident near Longview, Texas (East Side airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1983 · about 5:26 pm local time
- Place
- Longview, Texas · East Side · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C
- Registration
- N99096 · no longer on the register · serial 1719
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE ACFT WAS FLYING TOWARD THE ARPT, ABOUT 1 MI AWAY, A WITNESS HEARD A LOUD POP OR BANG & THEN NO FURTHER ENG SOUND.THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB ABOVE SOME TALL TREES ABOUT 300 YDS FROM THE END OF THE RWY, BUT IMPACTED THE TOPS OF THE TREES. THE #1 CONROD HAD SEPARATED. ITS BEARING, THE END OF THE ROD & THE CRANKSHAFT JOURNAL REVEALED EVIDENCE OF EXTREME TEMPERATURE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A LACK OF LUBRICATION THROUGHOUT THE ENG. THE LUBRICATING OIL BLADDER WAS EMPTY.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75-12 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,025 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Observation at 4:47 pm from GGG, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.