Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C accident near Clearwater, Florida, February 26, 1987
On February 26, 1987 at about 11:07 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C, registered N93977, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Exec 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).
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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
- February 26, 1987 · about 11:07 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C
- Registration
- N93977 · registry record · serial 1300
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE THROTTLE AND LAND BUT THE THROTTLE CONTROL DID NOT REDUCE THE POWER. HE THEN LANDED AND ATTEMPTED TO USE THE BRAKES TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BUT IT SLID OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO A DITCH. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE THROTTLE CONTROLS REVEALED THAT THEY FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE THROTTLE CONTROL IS 2 INCHES FROM THE TRIM CONTROL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THEY LOOK AND THE FEEL SIMILIAR.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 165 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 77 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,474 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1986; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,920 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OCF Ocala FL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: CLW Clearwate FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from PIE, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 MIA87LA095.