Ercoupe 415-C accident near Merritt Island, Florida, March 29, 1982
On March 29, 1982 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Ercoupe 415-C, registered N94067, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island airport). 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1982 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415-C · all 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N94067 · no longer on the register · serial 1390
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SUSPECTED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF. HE CUT THE POWER TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE GEAR, AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLANE SKIDDED ABOUT 100 FT BEFORE COMING TO REST ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE 4000 FT RUNWAY. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND WHEN THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED.
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: 300 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,736 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COI Merritt Island FL at 5:15 pm
- Destination: COI Merritt Island FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 156°F (69°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.