Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C accident near Scriba, New York, August 6, 1994
On August 6, 1994 at about 8:41 pm local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C, registered N94151, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scriba, New York (Lakeside Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall and inflight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1994 · about 8:41 pm local time
- Place
- Scriba, New York · Lakeside Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415C
- Registration
- N94151 · no longer on the register · serial 1474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing from a 1600-foot grass airstrip. According to the pilot, liftoff occurred halfway down the runway and the airplane outclimbed trees at the end of the runway. The pilot stated, 'shortly after clearing the trees by 10 to 15 feet, the aircraft settled back and traveled a few seconds more until the right wing snagged a tree. The aircraft pivoted downward to the right and came to rest in low trees.' The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,345 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,600 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:56 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.