Engineering & Research Ercoupe 415-C accident near Valkaria, Florida, July 29, 2007
On July 29, 2007 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Engineering & Research Ercoupe 415-C, registered N87026, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valkaria, Florida (Valkaria Airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2007 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Valkaria, Florida · Valkaria Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Engineering & Research Ercoupe 415-C · all Ercoupe 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N87026 · no longer on the register · serial 199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the flight was returning from a pleasure flight. He entered the traffic pattern for landing on runway 27; however, there was one airplane in the traffic pattern for runway 32. He was a little high on final approach and elected a go-around. He climbed to 800 feet and went to the shoreline, then reentered the traffic pattern for runway 27. The airplane was again high and when the flight was 1/2 way down the runway he performed a second go-around. This time he flew to the Indian River and returned for landing on runway 27. When the flight was over the numbers, he pulled aft on the yoke. He felt the airplane sinking when it was about 50 feet above the ground. He added full power, and about that time, the right wing stalled, the nose dropped, and right wing impacted the runway, followed by the nose. The airplane slid about 100 feet and was facing 90 degrees from the original flight path before it came to a stop. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane without assistance. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
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: 860 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental 85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2RR River Ranch FL
- Destination: X59 Valkaria FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KMLB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA07CA128.