Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C accident near Auburn, Washington, September 5, 1986
On September 5, 1986 at about 4:30 am local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415-C, registered N99313, was destroyed in an accident near Auburn, Washington (Auburn Municipal 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
- September 5, 1986 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Auburn, Washington · Auburn Municipal · 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
- N99313 · no longer on the register · serial 1936
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS CLIMBING AFTER A TOUCH AND GO, DURING THE CLIMB THE 'BLOWN FUSE' LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE GENERATOR. AFTER REPLACING THE FUSE SPARKS STARTED COMING FROM BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SMOKE FILLED THE COCKPIT AS THE PLT TRIED TO SMOTHER THE FLAMES. A 180 DEGREE TURN WAS INITIATED FOR A RETURN TO AUBURN. A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE. THE PLT EXITED THE ACFT AND RAN TO A TELEPHONE TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO GOT THERE IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE FIRE STARTED NEAR THE AMMETER FUSE CASE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 88 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 am from BFI, 10 miles away
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.