Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C accident near Wiersdale, Florida, December 11, 2005
On December 11, 2005 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C, registered N99009, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wiersdale, Florida (Love Landing airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper planning and failure to abort the takeoff in sufficient time which resulted in the airplane overrunning the runway and nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2005 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wiersdale, Florida · Love Landing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C
- Registration
- N99009 · registry record · serial 1632
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he did not use all the available runway, and he attempted the takeoff uphill, on a soggy turf runway, which previously had received about 24 hours of rain. He further stated that the acceleration was restricted due to the runway conditions, and as he progressively thought he would become airborne, the airplane would transit through a soft spot on the runway, and decelerate. He said he should have aborted the takeoff sooner, but he did not, and when he finally applied the brakes and attempted to stop the airplane, he probably hit a drainage ditch, became airborne for a short time prior to hitting the ground, and then proceeded down a bank and nosed over.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,200 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 1,160 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 97FL Wiersdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from OCF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.