Forney ERCOUPE F-1 accident near Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, February 8, 1993
On February 8, 1993 at about 3:06 pm local time, a Forney ERCOUPE F-1, registered N7555C, was destroyed in an accident near Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. 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
EXCESSIVE ELEVATOR CONTROL INPUT BY AN UNKNOWN OCCUPANT AT AN AIRSPEED ABOVE MANEUVERING SPEED WHICH CAUSED BOTH FORWARD WING SPARS TO FAIL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO POOR IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 1993 · about 3:06 pm local time
- Place
- Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Forney ERCOUPE F-1 ERCOUPE F-
- Registration
- N7555C · no longer on the register · serial 5672
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLT, 12 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE FUEL TANKS & THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN THREE TIMES. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY OF FUEL & WHILE MANEUVERING, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT, ONE OF THE TWO OCCUPANTS APPLIED FULL UP ELEVATOR CONTROL AT AN AIRSPEED ABOVE MANEUVERING SPEED (VA) WHICH CAUSED BOTH FORWARD WING SPARS TO FAIL IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED NEAR VERTICAL AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE. EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FLIGHT CONTROL PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAM OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES OF THE WING SPARS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREEXISTING CRACKS OR CORROSION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES SINCE DEPARTURE. THE STUDENT PLT IN THE LEFT SEAT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT WHO WAS AUTHORIZED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO WHY THE PRIVATE PILOT RATED PASSENGER WAS IN THE AIRPLANE.
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: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 1992; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from MAZ, 9 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.