Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) E accident near Apple Valley, California, January 26, 1986
On January 26, 1986 at about 5:19 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) E, registered N94798, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apple Valley, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 1986 · about 5:19 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) E
- Registration
- N94798 · registry record · serial 4911
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT'S ENG LOST POWER AND THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER DURING AN ATTEMPTED FORCED LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD IN FRONT OF HIS RESIDENCE. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE ACFT MADE THREE LOW PASSES OVER THE DIRT ROAD PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. A WITNESS COMMENTED THAT SHE HAD OBSERVED THE PLT THE DAY BEFORE, ON HIS TRACTOR, GRADING THE ROAD INFRONT OF HIS HOUSE.
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
- Flight time: 221 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1980
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lucerne Valley CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: Apple Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Observation at 5:55 pm from VCV, 5 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX86LA100.