Ercoupe 415D accident near Whitehall, Montana, February 4, 2009
On February 4, 2009 at about 11:09 pm local time, a Ercoupe 415D, registered N87349, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Whitehall, Montana (Whitehall 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 pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and his failure to abort the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2009 · about 11:09 pm local time
- Place
- Whitehall, Montana · Whitehall · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415D · all 415Ds on the register
- Registration
- N87349 · registry record · serial 522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot touched down beyond his point of intended landing and bounced. He added power, regained level flight, reduced power, and landed again. As he applied the brakes, he realized that the landing roll would exceed the amount of runway remaining available. He turned hard right to avoid a fence and a ditch. However, the left wing contacted the ground, and sustained substantial damage.
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
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 217 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: September 12, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTM Butte MT at 9:00 pm
- Destination: MT41 Whitehall MT
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 29, 3,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from BTM, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N87349 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.