Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C accident near Panacea, Florida, June 22, 2006
On June 22, 2006 at about 1:39 am local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C, registered N99355, was destroyed in an accident near Panacea, Florida (Wakulla County 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
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the airplane descending and impacting trees during the approach. A possible contributing factor was the pilot's pre-existing cardiovascular condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2006 · about 1:39 am local time
- Place
- Panacea, Florida · Wakulla County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C
- Registration
- N99355 · no longer on the register · serial 1978
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident airplane's co-owner/pilot and a pilot-rated passenger had both been at a social function near the airport, and had departed on a short flight to demonstrate the co-owner's recently acquired airplane. The flight originated about 2125 and a short while later the airplane clipped trees at about the 20-foot level, and then descended, impacting the ground and burning just short of the runway. The fire largely consumed the airplane, but the absence of evidence of propeller rotation suggested that the engine ceased operating prior to impact. Post-accident engine examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. The pilot's postmortem examination revealed evidence of the pilot having focal severe coronary atherosclerosis, and no evidence of smoke inhalation or obviously fatal injuries. There was insufficient evidence to determine conclusively whether or when a cardiac event might have occurred. Toxicology testing of specimens from the pilot suggested that he was intoxicated by alcohol at the time of the flight and had used marijuana within 10 hours of the accident. The pilot-rated passenger did not have a current medical certificate.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 15 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 0 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,549.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 2J0 Panacea FL at 1:25 am
- Destination: 2J0
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,590 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from TLH, 25 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.