Ercoupe 415 accident near Alvin, Texas, October 17, 2019
On October 17, 2019 at about 3:12 pm local time, a 1946 Ercoupe 415, registered N2585H, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Alvin, Texas. 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 pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, and an off-airport landing, during which the airplane landed hard and then ground looped.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2019 · about 3:12 pm local time
- Place
- Alvin, Texas · 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
- N2585H · no longer on the register · serial 2721
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, before departure, he fueled the airplane to full capacity (24 gallons). He added that, about 3 hours 36 minutes into the flight, upon descending to 2,000 ft, the engine began to run roughly. He reported that, for about 5 minutes, the engine fluctuated between running roughly and intermittently before quitting entirely. He decided to land in a subdivision. During the "high speed flare," he observed the left wing was approaching a light pole, so he "drove the yoke right." The airplane landed hard, and he applied hard braking. The right wheel hit the curb, and the right wing impacted a fence. He saw another light pole and added left yoke input. The airplane ground looped to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that he examined the fuel tanks and found no visible signs of fuel.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 314.8 hours in all; 62.4 in this make and model; 20.2 in the last 90 days; 20.2 in the last 30 days; 314.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 2, 2019
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,021.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A&C75 (piston); 3,028 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SOA Sonora TX at 11:36 am
- Destination: LVJ Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KLVJ, 5 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 December 20, 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.